Photo By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry | In a sweat-drenched physical training uniform, Indiana Army National Guard Spc. Dylan...... read more read more
CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. -- Cries, moans and screams emanated from rubble piles. People's faces and limbs were bloody. They were in shock, or at least acted like it.
"Sir, I need you to come with me; you've been in an accident," said Spc. Dylan Morris during a training exercise.
"No, I haven't," said the role player as he wandered aimlessly.
Morris, Indianapolis, a 1313th Engineer Company heavy equipment operator, is a reconnaissance team leader with the search and extraction element of 81st Troop Command's emergency response unit that trained for validation at Camp Atterbury, Ind.
The unit, which is known as the 19th CERFP or Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, Radiological and high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package, helps first responders during stateside catastrophes.
The force package’s search and extraction element members have an important role.
"They're the backbone pretty much. If they don't get the victims out and to the decon line and to medical, they're pretty much stuck down here on the pile," said Sgt. Timothy Pumphrey, a Joint Interagency Training and Education Center observer controller trainer from Charleston, W.Va.
The 65-person search and extraction element searched for and extracted casualties. The search part of that element is the reconnaissance team.
"Our job is extremely important," said Spc. Derek Thrasher, Indianapolis, a reconnaissance team member. "Our team allows other teams to go in and do their job. We have to provide the information other teams need."
The reconnaissance team members identified building entry points, hazards and casualties, said Thrasher. The team also guided ambulatory casualties away from the incident site.
"Our main mission objective is to get people out and mitigate human suffering," said Thrasher, who is also a 1313th Engineer Company heavy equipment operator.
While mitigating human suffering, the search and extraction members wore chemical suits that keep hazardous airborne particles out, and sweat and body heat in. During the training Wednesday, Thrasher and two of his teammates each lost four pounds in the approximately 40 minutes they were in the suits.
"It's crazy. I've never lost four pounds in that amount of time," said Spc. Jeff Anspach, a teammate of Thrasher and a former wrestler.
Anspach, Star City, Ind., a 1313th Engineer Company track mechanic, said the training was realistic with the bloody role players screaming, moaning and yelling for help.
"I never felt that intense confusion at one time, and then add all the chaos on top of that, all the screams, it just makes it that much more crazy."
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2011 09:48 |
| Story ID: | 75978 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 202 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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