Hawaii's completes successful 'Ikaiki' ATEX

By Donald Murry, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security; U.S. Army Garrison, HawaiiJuly 30, 2012

Hawaii's completes successful 'Ikaiki' ATEX
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Hawaii's completes successful 'Ikaiki' ATEX
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii conducted its annual antiterrorism exercise, "Ikaika 2012," or ATEX "Ikaika," here, July 16-20.

Multiple directorates and agencies from USAG-HI, along with Army civilians and Soldiers from USAG Daegu, South Korea, came together to conduct the exercise.

USAG Daegu personnel served as evaluators during the exercise, which was part of a continuing effort to test, assess and validate emergency response plans and procedures in response to possible acts of terrorism, as well as a test of participants' abilities to coordinate and communicate.

ATEX participants took proactive measures to ensure the installation and its workforce are prepared to react in case of a real act of terrorism. It promoted the ideas of situational awareness, safety and personal responsibility in preventing attacks.

USAG-HI successfully used available resources to respond to possible chemical release and to active shooter scenarios, including hostage negotiation procedures and downed aircraft.

During the scenarios, response forces from police, fire and medical moved in, assessed the situation, processed a hostage situation and quickly took out the shooter while making sure additional victims were protected from further harm.

Working in the USAG-HI's emergency operations center, liaisons from the Schofield Barracks Health Clinic coordinated communications with medical personnel, as is the case in any emergency medical response scenario.

The Federal Fire Department, Tripler Army Medical Center and SBHC arrived at each scene to treat and evacuate mock victims from the incident sites.

USAG-HI's Directorate of Emergency Operations initially locked down Fort Shafter, Fort Shafter Flats and Wheeler Army Airfield to secure the scene. The garrison commander then gave the order to raise the Force Protection Condition, or FPCON.

Upon successful completion of the exercise, the FPCON was lowered.

All agencies involved in the exercise satisfactorily demonstrated knowledge of emergency response plans and procedures, and adequately implemented force protection measures.

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