Photo By Joshua Cox | Members of Navy Security Forces (NSF) simulate an exchange with an active shooter...... read more read more
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A Hostile Event Rescue Training (HERT) course was conducted onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Aug. 27-31 involving members of the NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field Navy Security Forces (NSF) and Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast.
“We are training for an active shooter event,” said John Burgess, commander, Navy Region Southeast (CNRSE) training chief. “Active shooter events are a dynamic situation which involves emergency medical services and police departments — we are training them together.”
Burgess said first responders need to provide care to the wounded as soon as possible in the event of an active shooter situation. He said it’s critical for first responders to reach the victims and evacuate them to hospitals for treatment.
“When an active shooter event is called out, the security forces will come into the building and secure the building,” Burgess said. “As soon as the threat is neutralized, they will notify the Hostile Event Rescue Team (HERT). The HERT will be comprised of two firefighters and two to three law enforcement officers. They will respond inside the building and provide medical care with a security escort.”
During training Aug. 27, a student played the role of an active shooter, attacking a group of victims resulting in a mass casualty situation. A Navy Security Forces team armed with training rifles initially responded to the scene, or warm zone, and neutralized the threat. Once the shooter was down, the security team accessed the area for additional shooters and the wounded, and dispatched the Hostile Event Rescue Team. First responders from the team wore helmets and body armor in case of a secondary shooter threat, and quickly rendered aid to the wounded and assisted in evacuating the victims. The students all participated in multiple training exercises throughout the day and performed various roles to ensure everyone was familiar with the tactics.
Burgess said the main task for emergency medical services personnel is to provide lifesaving care and stabilize the wounded for evacuation. Once the team and the wounded reach the cold zone, or the safe area away from the scene, the victims will go through triage and will be transported to a hospital.
“The training we are conducting allows security and fire to be able to enter into a building during an active shooter situation to triage victims and to get them out quickly so we can save more lives,” said Trent Hathaway, installation training officer, NAS Pensacola.
The training is a two-day course, with a half day of classroom instruction and a day and a half of training exercises, or tactical movements.
Hathaway said the training conducted was designed to train new HERT instructors from NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field. The new instructors will conduct the essential HERT training with fellow members of Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast and Navy Security Forces, and the course will be integrated into annual training schedules.
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2021 10:39 |
| Story ID: | 404326 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 276 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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