Natural disasters like wildland fires can spread quickly and leave significant amounts of damage in their path. It is important for military installations to be prepared for these events at any given time.
Last week, members of Applied Training Solutions assisted U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson personnel to identify, respond, and recover from a wildland fire natural disaster event exercise. This exercise also tested the team’s ability to respond to multiple incidents across the installation, as well as their ability to coordinate with local agencies.
The ATS team was responsible for the full-scale exercise design and development, scenario planning, simulation modeling, simulated social media production, as well as training support and execution. The team spent 10 months prior planning and developing the exercise to ensure it provided realistic training.
Prior to the start of the exercise, the team led in with wildfire messaging to the installation stating there was a natural disaster imminent. The simulated fire then jumped the road to the South of the installation, beginning the exercise.
This began a series of events through the exercise. The Emergency Operations Center was activated, several local units and installation assets were notified, and the emergency warnings were initiated. Installation teams then coordinated with local Fire Department units to assist the garrison assets.
Engineers and air support were also requested to ensure the protection of as much of the base as possible. The installation then decided to simulate a base evacuation. Subsequently, there was also a simulated car accident occurring, ensuring simultaneous responses from law enforcement and emergency services.
Complex exercises like this, which include multi-faceted, real-world event simulations such as a car accident occurring during a base evacuation due to an impending wildfire, ensure that installation assets are maximally prepared.
These exercises test personnel, response capabilities, communication, and emergency operations between the installation and higher headquarters, as well as local support coordination.
Overall, the ATS team successfully supported this full-scale exercise by providing simulated wildfire messaging, producing simulated social media, and leading and supporting White Cell execution. The team used various products to create realistic simulations, enhancing the exercise design and enabling the installation to effectively test its plans, policies, and procedures.
As a leader in emergency preparedness training and readiness, ATS continues to actively work to deliver innovative, experience-based disaster-preparedness exercise solutions for local, state, and federal agencies to protect communities.
