FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Increased aircraft and emergency vehicle presence were visible outside Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Sept. 13 as medical personnel and emergency response teams ensured preparedness for a mass casualty incident.
The two-part exercise, held as a training platform for military and civilian medical and law enforcement personnel in the event of a real-world disaster or attack, included an active shooter and explosive device scenario, as well as a simulated hazardous materials spill.
"1.7 out of every 10,000 workers will experience an assault on the job," said John Lease, Special Reaction Team program manager for the Military District of Washington.
"When you're a nurse, that number goes up to 6.1 per 10,000. That's triple the rate, triple the threat. Violence in hospitals and medical facilities is a real thing. We take it seriously and want to ensure we train in an all-hazard, across-the-board response."
More than five agencies and commands participated in the exercise, getting hands-on experience in a safe, but realistic setting.
"This type of training is crucial to making sure we are ready for any potential disasters that could occur in the future," said Mark Diaz, Belvoir Hospital's chief of operations and emergency management,
And while all of the participants in the exercise were highly trained in their fields, not all were of the human variety.
"[Our unit] provides physical security support and a non-lethal [canine] asset to the response teams," said Army 1st Lt. Bradley Nicholls, 947th Military Police Detachment kennels officer in charge.
Bentley, a German Shepherd, has been working for three years and provides 180-degree visual support -- a capability that traditionally requires three soldiers to achieve.
During the exercise, Bentley subdued a subject who failed to respond to deterrent spray, allowing the subject to be taken in without further incident or escalation of force.
"Bentley is able to project a show of force and ... subdue a subject with a bite versus more lethal options that the team may otherwise have to deploy," Nicholls said. Bentley is also trained to detect explosive materials.
"Our canine did a great job today and so did our team," said Nicholls. "We are really excited to have had the opportunity to have worked with so many organizations."
The training was a "100 percent victory," added Lease. "It went incredibly well, and it's vital to the mission of supporting interoperability measures within the Military District of Washington."
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