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76th MXW earns Red Cross award

  • Published
  • By Danielle Gregory
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Tinker members take becoming a better wingman to the next level. In March 2007, the 76th Software Maintenance Group established a First Responders Program that would provide immediate care for workplace emergencies until EMS could respond. The program escalated from a small concept of preparedness to a program that meets the requirements of the Voluntary Protection Program and Wingman program.

The team is the first organization at Tinker to have a program of this magnitude. Their program, while partnering with the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma, offers in-house training to their employees by making use of available space in Bldg. 18 as a training facility to better educate employees who want to be better wingmen.

The team began their program by identifying the kind of training and resources they would need to help satisfy program requirements. The Red Cross began mentoring the team on making disaster preparedness plans, building emergency kits, and being personally trained to respond. The Red Cross designed a two week course that covered basic adult CPR all the way to being a certified professional rescuer.

The team then took their skills, knowledge and dedication for helping others to a new level when they began, as certified instructors, teaching life-saving skills outside of their group. They began volunteering as Red Cross volunteers and some committed to being Red Cross Disaster Action Team members.

Their hard work paid off in late October when the Red Cross awarded the group with three awards.

"It is a wonderful honor to participate with men and women who, as military members, raise our hands and vow to support the constitution of the United States and you , our civilian counterparts do the same," said retired Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon, Red Cross board member. "You now have taken on an additional duty and that is truly what being a wingman is all about."

The Red Cross Ready Award was given to the group because they met and exceeded the standards of the program. The 76th SMXG is the first of only four groups out of more than 500 organizations to receive this award.

The Program Development Initiative Award was given to the group for the most outstanding, newly developed program of the year. "We were extremely proud of the involvement and dedication this group shows. From the extensive training to the level of community and base preparedness participation, they exemplify what is central to the Red Cross and we wanted to highlight them for implementing such a program on base," said Chele Rider, Red Cross.

The Leadership award was given in recognition of the group's preparedness program that has grown and has become a great value to the workplace and the community.

"The best part about what SMXG First Responders have done is to take the wingman program to another level," said Brig. Gen. Judith Fedder, 76th Maintenance Wing commander. "They not only brought it to Tinker, but also energized other organizations and local community members to follow suit. I am proud of our SMXG team and honored to be associated with this group."