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EMERYVILLE, Calif. – Cal Guard's 95th Civil Support Team participated in BAYEX 2022, an interagency training exercise with local law enforcement and first responders, to test emergency operations in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack on mass transit, Feb. 22-25, 2022, near San Francisco.
“Taking our time out to train with these folks is critical in maintaining these relationships and keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Tyler Sullivan, a survey team chief within the 95th Civil Support Team.
Over 400 first responders from nearly 20 different partner agencies participated in the exercise this year, including CAL OES, Alameda County HAZMAT, Oakland City HAZMAT, Oakland City Fire, San Mateo County Public Health, and San Mateo Police Department, as well as members of the Cal Guard’s 9th CST, based at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos, along with the Nevada National Guard’s 92nd CST.
BAYEX 2022 tested response time on suspected CBRNE contamination from simulated attacks on a variety of mass transportation, including a sailboat, a light rail train, and a public bus.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces in an exercise of this scale, you have a variety of agencies with a lot of different objectives and ways to communicate,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Garber, the operations noncommissioned officer in charge with the 95th CST.
The CST provides local law enforcement with expertise and equipment in HAZMAT scenarios, including an entry team that can collect and test suspected CBRNE substances, a mobile lab, decontamination equipment, and additional medical personnel, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Jose M. Barquero, the medical operations officer for the 95th CST.
“We’re here to support our first responders and their response to a call for a hazardous material scenario. The purpose is to train with them so that everyone can better their response to these types of events,” said Barquero.
The unit regularly trains with law enforcement and first responders to maintain open lines of communication, identify and mitigate risks, as well as to gain an understanding of each other’s operations in the event of an emergency event.
“We don’t want to show up to a real-world event and meet our counterparts for the very first time,” said Garber. “When we know their language before an event, we are able to successfully communicate in the event of a HAZMAT situation.”
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2022 14:51 |
| Story ID: | 436051 |
| Location: | EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 233 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, BAYEX 2022: 95th Civil Support Team trains with law enforcement and first responders in the Bay Area, by SFC Kimberly Hill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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