FORT STEWART, Ga. - Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield leaders trained how to properly respond to emergency situations during an Installation Force Protection Exercise conducted at Stewart's Crisis Management Center, Nov. 9-10. Colonel Kevin Milton, Stewart-Hunter garrison commander, along with Command Sgt. Maj. James Ervin, Stewart-Hunter garrison command sergeant major, and leaders from key installation directorates responded to a simulated situation that involved a supposed chlorine spill in the Liberty Woods subdivision.
In addition to reports of casualties and constant scenario changes, leaders in the "Blue Cell," led by Col. Milton and installation directorates, including Will Jones, Chief of Plans and Operations with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security and "battle captain" for the exercise, had to decide the best place to evacuate Families living near Liberty Woods, as well as students and faculty at Kessler Elementary School. Brittin Elementary was chosen as an initial evacuation site, soon followed by the Main Post Chapel.
Once that decision was made, the garrison commander then asked Chap. (Maj.) Michael Summers, Deployment Cycle Support Chaplain, what services were going to be interrupted by using the chapel as an evacuation point. According to Chap. Summers, Monday was a training holiday, so no services were scheduled.
In addition to situation reports from first responders, a lot of information came to Blue Cell leaders from the White Cell next door, led Curt Herrboldt, team member with MPRI, the military contractor conducting the IFPEX, along with representatives of the Directorate of Emergency Services. For example, as people were supposed being evacuated to Brittin, a report came in that many Families were showing up with pets. What was to be done with the pets' Were these pets to be kept outside or inside the school' The information was fed to the Blue Cell, which had to make a decision about the pet situation. Installation kennels needed to be contacted.
"I'm really impressed," said Reggie Berry, team leader for MPRI. "This is our second visit here to Stewart-Hunter, and I see much improvement. This program ensures the garrison commander and his staff can train on force protection - to determine how fast you can save as many lives as you can then get back to carry on with the mission."
Berry said he was serving as the garrison commander at Fort Knox, Ky., during the attacks of 9/11. His experience as a garrison commander helps him help other garrison commanders prepare for emergency situations like the one that recently occurred at Fort Hood, Texas. Berry noted the commander there got the situation under control and had the installation back to normal operations the next day. Should the unthinkable happen here at Stewart-Hunter, he said the leaders here will be better prepared to respond and return to normal operations, thanks to IFPEX training.
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