Photo By Staff Sgt. Rebecca M Perez | Staff Sgt. Jacob Price, Senior Airman Atinuke Aiyenigba, and Captain Ralph Garcia...... read more read more
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Members from the 144th Medical Detachment 1 assisted the 154th Wing of the Hawaii Air National Guard with their Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX external evaluation in Oahu, Hawaii from August 26-29, 2024.
The ten FEMA regions across the United States help those impacted by disaster — before, during and after. FEMA Region IX responds to 150 Tribal Nations, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Along with local emergency response services the Air Guard units from California, Nevada and Hawaii would be activated and respond to emergencies to assist civilian medical personnel. Additionally, any available Army Guard units would be activated to respond as well.
With such a large area of responsibility, FEMA Region IX National Guard units are evaluated on their medical response capabilities every three years. Traditionally, each unit conducts their evaluation separately; however, spurred by the events of the Lahana Fire on the island of Maui, the 154th took the opportunity of their own upcoming evaluation to host an exercise for all guard units under FEMA Region IX.
Lt. Col. Chance Pasley, FEMA Region 9 Medical Officer for the California National Guard, said “One of the biggest lessons learned from the Lahana fire was our need to support one another. As a region, the ability to seamlessly operate together efficiently is essential. An exercise that included all guard units was imperative.”
Their goal was to work together so seamlessly that no one would be able to differentiate the guard personnel present. The exercise was a simulated natural disaster, members from the 49th Military Police Brigade took charge first by accounting for all simulated casualties. An assessment of injuries was made, and then casualties were separated between ambulatory and non-ambulatory. Once in the appropriate designation, the casualties were decontaminated by Army Guard soldiers. Once decontamination was complete, the casualties were then taken to medical tents to be treated by members from Air Guard medical detachments. After being appropriately treated, the simulated injured were transferred to local emergency services, who would take further medical action if necessary.
Moving forward, the focus for FEMA Region IX is no longer on how effectively any singular unit can complete the mission. The focus is now on how well joint forces can come together during a time of disaster to execute and complete the mission with finesse and efficiency.
After being asked if he could differentiate between the units, Brigadier General Keith A. Chikasawa, assistant adjutant general - air, California Air National Guard, said, “The integration was phenomenal; you can’t tell who is who.”
| Date Taken: | 09.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2024 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 481960 |
| Location: | OAHU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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