PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY BARKING SANDS, Hawaii -- Hazmat specialists from the Hawaii National Guard's 93rd Civil Support Team are ready to support first responders in case of a potential biological, chemical, or radiological attack after participating in a training exercise here, Aug. 28-30.
The Kauai County Exercise 2017 is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive threat and response three-day training event testing the coordination between federal, state, county and non-governmental units responding to natural or man-made hazmat incidents.
A host of first responders ranging from Kauai County Police and Fire departments, Hawaii Department of Health, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai Emergency Management Agency, and National Guard civil support teams from Hawaii, Guam, Alaska and Utah came together to practice and validate the tactics, techniques, and procedures needed to effectively respond to a real-world CBRNE incident.
Civil support teams are joint Army and Air National Guard units designed to support local, tribal, state and federal emergency response organizations in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack or where specific technical capabilities to identify CBRNE materials are required. They also have access to other technical and analytical experts who can assist, if needed.
The 93rd Civil Support Team is made of eighteen Hawaii Army National Guard soldiers and four airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard.
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
"We are here to support the first responders in the event of a catastrophic event," said Air Force Lt. Col. Alvin Sato, commander of the 93rd Civil Support Team. "By working collaboratively together with the first responders ... the more times we work with them the more times we understand each other's strength and weaknesses."
Incident command during a domestic CBRNE event would fall to civilian authorities. It's the job of the 93rd Civil Support Team and the 57 other Civil Support Team units spread throughout the nation to support civil authorities by identifying CBRNE substances, assessing current and projected consequences, and advising on response measures.
Large exercises such Kauai County Exercise 2017 are held throughout the year within different counties, with planning for the exercise starting one year in advance.
The Pacific Missile Range Facility, with its large area and multitude of structures, allowed exercise planners to develop complex and challenging scenarios. Simulated drug cooking labs, hostile personnel, and bunkers with possible anti-personnel traps were some of the challenges posed to first responders.
NEXT-LEVEL TRAINING
"The exercise gave us the opportunity to push our new guys as well as our seasoned personnel," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Noah Raymond, a recon team leader with the 93rd Civil Support Team. "It allowed all of us to bump up to another level and experience new positions and situations that we aren't necessarily use to."
As the science officer for the 93rd Civil Support Team, Army Capt. Sean Cripps analyzed the data and intelligence collected by the joint teams sent into hot zones.
"My main duty is to provide technical advice on the hazards that are found and interpret the meaning and significance," Cripps said. "I look at the downrange readings, the instrumentation data that's collected, intelligence data and synthesis that into the 'so what' component … what is the impact of this to our public and to the response effort."
Kauai County Exercise 2017 also included tabletop and demonstration sessions between the various agencies.
According to Cripps, being able to work with agencies from multiple levels was a valuable part of the experience.
"This is a great opportunity for us to work with our first responder community from the county, state, and federal levels. This is important because we always want to work with people before something actually happens," he said.
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