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Exercise tests base’s Disease Containment Plan

  • Published
  • By Brion Ockenfels
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  During an exercise recently, the Installation Exercise Program Office team created a scenario calling for a bio-terrorist to gain access and release aerosolized anthrax in a facility where a large number of military personnel were attending commander's call.

Exercise planner Paul Logan said, "Our primary objective for the base auditorium portion of the Disease Containment Exercise was to accomplish a thorough search and identification of biological agents in realistic environment."

With the clock ticking and evaluation team members in place to assess the ability and capabilities of Tinker's medical community to diagnose and contain the possible threat, emergency responders had to identify an unknown biological agent and treat victims.

As the exercise unfolded, Airmen from the 72nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight and 72nd Civil Engineering Readiness teams received notification, prepared their hot zone entry strategies and donned level-B protective suits. The level-B protocol allows responders to enter contaminated hot zones of unknown agents without becoming victims themselves.

"Bioenvironmental Engineering and Emergency Management have always been close partners in making sure Team Tinker is ready for any emergency involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear hazards," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jeremy Slagley, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight commander.

Recently the emergency management shop transitioned from a contract operation to government operated and this exercise was the first opportunity for both organizations to make entries into the hot zone together as one team.

Emergency Management technician Glen Brandt said the exercise was a great opportunity for Emergency Management and Bioenvironmental to come together, execute a response and refine their abilities to work together.

"The end result is an increased all-hazards response capability for Tinker AFB," Mr. Brandt said.

The resulting outcome of the exercise scenario called for the 72nd Medical Group to activate the Disease Containment Plan and the decision was made to treat the base population with prophylaxis. A mass prophylaxis point-of-distribution was then set up Wednesday at the Gerrity Fitness Center before the exercise ended.

"This is a tremendous expansion to our team capabilities capitalizing on the emergency management's experience with CBRN response," said Dr. Slagley. "Our combined team met all the CBRN response objectives and worked very well together. We are eager to continue working with our emergency management brethren to hone our skills and function seamlessly. One team, one fight!"