Capital Shield 2014: First Responders train in Nation's Capital

By Mr. George Markfelder (JFHQNCRMDW)September 30, 2013

Capital Shield 2014:  First Responders train in Nation's Capital
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Paul Ruwe discusses the first day activities with mission leaders from the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, II Marine Expeditionary Force during the opening day of Capital Shield 14, at the L... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Capital Shield 2014:  First Responders train in Nation's Capital
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – • Chief Warrant Officer 4, Frank Pater, Battalion Senior CBRN Officer explains the days training events to role-playing "victims" at the Lorton Va. emergency training site, Sept. 30, 2013. The Joint Force Headquarters - National Capital Region ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 2013) -- Emergency vehicles and first responders are once again in action in the National Capital Region and will be thru Oct. 3. They are participating in "Capital Shield 2014."

CS 14 is a joint training exercise in the NCR that is hosted by the Joint Force Headquarters - National Capital Region. It brings federal, state, local and municipal agencies together to realistically test interagency operability during a crisis impacting the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. It also trains and prepares the Department of Defense to provide defense support to civil authorities and employ appropriate force protection measures as requested.

"Because we are all regional partners it's nice to be able to pick up the Phone and KNOW the other person on the end of the line when you are in need of some help," said Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Paul Ruwe. "It's a lesson learned from 9/11. We had good regional contact with the FBI Washington office, and that really helped after the attack on the Pentagon."

Ruwe is the Incident commander at the Lorton Training site, Lorton Va., and said the training site will be very busy over the next few days.

More than 38 participating agencies from DOD and Capital region response agencies will perform mock mass casualty rescues, Defense Support to civil agency technical rescues and law enforcement tactical responses. The goal of the exercise is to ensure government agencies at every level are prepared to coordinate action to protect the public in the event of an actual disaster in the National Capital Region.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please visit the Capital Shield 2014 website at www.mdwhome.mdw.army.mil/capital-shield.

Related Links:

Capital Shield website

Joint Force Headquarters -- National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington

Chemical Biological Incident Response Force II Marine Expeditionary Force