FORT SILL, Okla. (Sept. 4, 2014) -- Working at his desk about 9:30 a.m., Ron Cox, Fort Sill Police training officer, got the news from the military police desk: an explosion at the Mow-way Shoppette involving a tanker truck. As Cox, the police chief and operations officer sped together to the site the radio chatter increased revealing the extent of the damage. He mentally prepared himself for a horrific scene.
One of the first responders on site, Cox directed traffic as fellow officers blocked off roads which were littered with bodies and and damaged cars. Heavy white smoke bellowed from near the shoppette.
Once the roads were closed, Cox, who is also an EMT, ran to the closest person -- a Soldier withering on the ground, confused and blood-covered with an open wound. Cox began to assess the casualties and triage the victims. By now Fort Sill firefighters were arriving, "Thank God, the firefighters are here with all their gear," Cox said to himself.
This was the scene Aug. 27 at the shoppette as Fort Sill conducted its annual full-scale disaster drill to test its emergency responses and procedures. The exercise involved virtually every active-duty unit, tenant agency and all the garrison directorates, as the fort implemented its highest security condition.
"The whole purpose is to better prepare ourselves to deal with emergencies in a large-scale event, and to ensure the public is protected at all times and the installation mission can continue," said Clint Langford, Fort Sill Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services fire chief, who served as the on scene commander. In past exercises, scenarios have involved mass casualties; chemical, biological and radiological threats; and active shooters.
Jim Carney, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security exercise lead planner, said months of preparation went into the exercise, which involved thousands of Soldiers and workers across the post. There were two main training objectives.
"We're going to protect the installation by going to force protection condition delta, and the other training objective was to manage the emergency," he said.
As the six-hour exercise unfolded, a terrorist group claimed responsibility. The garrison commander set FPCON Delta closing Scott, 52nd Street and Bentley gates. At the remaining open gates, Fort Sill police augmented by Soldiers performed 100 percent vehicle inspections.
At the disaster site Fort Sill firefighters worked side-by-side with Lawton Fire Department firefighters as per a mutual aid agreement, Langford said. Reynolds Army Community Hospital medical staff loaded their ambulances to take the "victims" to the three civilian area hospitals, which also participated in the exercise.
Other off-post agencies involved included the FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma State Emergency Operations Center representatives, Carney said.
To make the exercise realistic, role players moaned, groaned and some were combative as they portrayed victims in shock.
"The takeaway from the scene is tracking casualties, fatality management ... and how those processes and procedures are exercised," Carney said.
David Clark, Installation Management Command Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, was part of a four-person team who evaluated the exercise. Clark served as the team leader and as an
observer/controller.
"We're here to help Fort Sill see themselves with outside eyes and ears," Clark said. "We're here to capture the good things the garrison is doing and the things they might need to improve their force protection posture."
Frederick Upchurch, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System chief medical legal death investigator at Dover (Del.) Air Force Base, also participated in the exercise.
"I'm here seeing how the deceased are being handled, and to give guidance for proper disposition (of them)," he said.
He said in a real-world disaster here, Fort Sill would work with AFMES, who would provide a team to help facilitate moving the deceased.
Lt. Col. Rory Crooks, Fort Sill Strategic Communications officer, performed a news conference as part of the exercise. He said security threats at military installations are real.
"This exercise is one way we can to show we take the threats seriously," Crooks said. "We tied up a lot of resources and we put a lot of thought and planning into this."
About halfway through the exercise Carney said the responses to and the management of the drill were running smoothly.
"I think the set-up went well, I think the planning went well, and I think the execution is going really well," Carney said.
Clark noted that forts only get what they put into an exercise like this.
"Fort Sill has put a lot of effort into it, and their fruit will be a great exercise, lessons learned and a better force protection plan," he said.
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