Team Vance hones skills during exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. M. Davis
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Team Vance put practice into action Monday when its emergency response proficiency was tested during a tornado exercise.
After the tornado sirens had silenced and the "all-clear message" was given, members of the Disaster Control Group, headed by Col. Fred Cheney, 71st Mission Support Group commander, gathered to assess the simulated tornado damage.
Exercise participants improved from the last tornado exercise March 30, said Maj. Steve Yarbrough, wing exercise and evaluation team chief.
"First responders did a good job of initial sweeps and establishment of safe routes once the "all clear" was given," he said. "The DCG performed very well also. Once deployed to the scene, they were able to mitigate all aspects of the scenario."
As a member of the Civil Engineer Readiness team, Senior Airman Rebecca Wardell, ensured smooth communications and operations between military and civilian emergency responders during real-world and exercise situations.
Although weather-related emergencies differ from other types of disaster situations, they "require the same communication, recovery operations and command and control," Airman Wardell explained.
The exercise was challenging, because the readiness team worked with a new Readiness Support Team and used a new DCG trailer, but overall it went well, Airman Wardell said.
"It was good to see everyone hustle to get items accomplished," she said. "You really begin to see that everyone takes these exercises to a 'real-world' level of seriousness."
1st Lt. Keith Land, a mortuary affairs officer with the 71st LRS, took his job seriously Monday when he was prompted by the DCG commander to recall the Search and Recovery Team for the exercise.
The 14 members of SART were on-scene to gather simulated remains of auto accident victims.
"The team's job is to recover remains of individuals at the scene for positive identification," Lieutenant Land said.
Many of the team members are new to the job, so they received classroom training June 3 and hands-on training during Monday's exercise. To add realism to the scenario, a medical Exercise Evaluation Team member obtained animal entrails for the team members to find.
"The training was beneficial to all of the members," the lieutenant said. "Although it was the team's first time responding, they did a great job."
These types of exercises are beneficial for all involved, Major Yarbrough said.
"Processes are improved during every exercise. With the proper attitude, you can learn something -- something that might save your life the life of your wingman during an emergency."