Photo By Sgt. Adrianne Lopez | Guardsmen from the Search & Extraction and Medical elements recover a patient from the...... read more read more
CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah – The Nevada Guard’s 92nd Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) recorded a rare perfect score from National Guard Bureau officials during its external evaluation Sept. 11-14 at Camp Williams, Utah, highlighting the unit’s flawless preparedness for any emergency contingency.
Following their successful evaluation, the 92nd CERFP is now fully prepared to respond to real-world events.
The 92nd CERFP's remarkable performance underscores its proficiency in handling complex emergency scenarios. During the exercise, the unit demonstrated its expertise in myriad chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive response situations that displayed the unit is ready to ensure the future safety of both first responders and the community in the event of a real-world catastrophe.
The Nevada National Guard’s CERFP includes more than 200 Soldiers and Airmen from many disparate Air and Army units who team to form one CERFP unit in the wake of a catastrophe. The Nevada Army Guard’s 17th Special Troops Battalion provided the command-and-control element of the evaluation and oversaw coordinated efforts. The 1864th Transportation Company managed decontamination stations and the 240th Engineer Company specialized in search and extraction operations.
The Nevada Air Guard’s 152nd Medical Group provided medical support and the 152nd Communications Flight facilitated seamless information exchanges. The Arizona Guard’s 162nd Airlift Wing contributed its 11-Airmen Fatality Search and Recovery Team to enhance the CERFP’s capabilities and practice the inter-agency cooperation that will be needed in future emergency-response scenarios.
The final day of the evaluation focused on a mock radiological event that impacted a community.
The medical element of the 92nd CERFP exhibited outstanding teamwork and adaptability, especially when the decontamination element experienced staffing shortages. To offset the DECON team’s shortages, the medical team swiftly adjusted its plan and provided crucial assistance to the DECON personnel. While wearing hazmat suits, the medical team efficiently organized triage operations and stepped in to support the DECON unit when its manpower was lacking.
The collaborative spirit within the medical element displayed its unwavering commitment to ensure a seamless and effective catastrophe response despite quickly changing situations.
“I’m very proud of every member of the CERFP,” said Maj. Michael Reed, the commander of the medical element. “Everyone gave 110 percent.”
Staff Sgt. Charles Julian, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the decontamination element, said his team retained a remarkable spirit during the exercise.
“They came in with a ‘let’s kill this attitude’,” Julian said. “They would uplift each other when needed and kept me motivated.”
Throughout the evaluation, the unit recognized the critical importance of managing work-rest cycles to sustain peak performance. The implementation of a well-considered hydration plan, featuring Gatorade and water, along with strategically timed snacks, proved valuable in replenishing energy levels during periods of downtime.
Drawing parallels with endurance races such as a marathon run, Lt. Col. Stacy Carter, the CERFP commander, stressed the significance of post-operation recovery. Like runners who aim to quickly recover after a race, the CERFP responders quickly rehydrated and ate to speed their recovery following long periods of action during the mock catastrophe response,
“The perfect score by the NGB evaluators is a testament to our young Soldiers’ and Airmens’ dedication and their heart,” Carter said. “We understand our preparedness directly impacts the future safety of those we serve. Together, we've not only passed an important evaluation but also reinforced our commitment to safeguarding our communities.”
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2023 17:16 |
| Story ID: | 453804 |
| Location: | CAMP WILLIAMS, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 358 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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