CBRNE

U.S. Army Col. Thomas Frank, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense Casualty Care Division chief, demonstrates the proper use of a Nerve Agent Antidote Kit during a Chemical Agent Casualty Discussion at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 21, 2018. The 92nd Medical Group partnered with the USAMRICD to train and educate Fairchild’s medical providers, technicians, first responders and emergency management specialists on the medical management of casualties resulting from chemical or biological weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jesenia Landaverde)

CBRNE

Fairchild Airmen set up a Patient Decontamination Site Tabletop Simulation Activity kit during a Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualty course at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 21, 2018. The tabletop exercise familiarizes personnel with tactics, techniques and procedures associated with planning and executing operations in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jesenia Landaverde)

CBRNE

U.S. Army Col. Wayne Thomas Frank, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense Casualty Care Division chief, observes U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Suzanne Green, 92nd Medical Operation Squadron Family Health Flight commander, during a chemical agent casualty discussion at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 21, 2018. The two-day course trains professionals to be familiar and proficient in identifying the effects of biological and chemical attacks in order to understand how to medically manage casualties resulting from chemical or biological weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jesenia Landaverde)

CBRNE

U.S. Air Force Col. Michelle Guerrero, 92nd Medical Group commander, interacts with Airmen while they set up a Patient Decontamination Site Tabletop Simulation Activity Kit during the medical management section of the Chemical and Biological Casualties course at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 21, 2018. More than 80 Airmen from Team Fairchild participated in the course including Airmen from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, 141st ARW, and 336th Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jesenia Landaverde)

Soldiers educate Airmen on chemical casualty treatment

Published June 25, 2018
By Airman 1st Class Jesenia Landaverde
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- As our military battlefield continues to evolve in current and future operations, it is critical for our service men and women to remain ready for any adversity or combat environment they may encounter.

The 92nd Medical Group partnered with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense Casualty Care Division June 20 to 21 to train and educate Fairchild’s medical providers, technicians, first responders and emergency management specialists on medical management of chemical and biological casualties.

By participating in this training, Team Fairchild Airmen are more prepared to operate and support one another in a chemical or biological environment.

The USAMRI’s Chemical Defense and Infectious Disease laboratories are the Department of Defense leads for medical chemical defense and biological defense research. They examine chemical agents, develop possible countermeasures and train medical personnel around the world to provide patient care in a chemical or biological hazard environment.

“Our mission is to reach and teach everybody in and out of the medical career field who could be exposed to chemical threats and get them to understand the importance of the information we are providing,” said U.S. Army Col. Thomas Frank, USAMRICD Casualty Care Division chief. “If they are able to recognize and manage an incident, they can execute the mission and save lives.”

The two-day course trains professionals to identifying the effects of biological and chemical attacks quickly and accurately.

“This course is very useful for me as an emergency manager [for] teaching CBRNE classes,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Adams, 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management craftsman. “This helps me understand the agents we’re teaching, [both] how they can impact a person and how we can better relate our class with the signs and symptoms of a casualty.”

More than 80 Airmen from Team Fairchild participated in the course, including 92nd Air Refueling Wing, 141st ARW and 336th Training Group Airmen.

“This course shows commitment from our leadership, the Air Force and the Department of Defense, to ensure all forces are always prepared for chemical warfare,” said Capt. Ryan Comes, 92nd Medical Support Squadron diagnostic flight commander. “We train to maintain a posture where we can fully operate and survive in a biological and chemical environment.”

After two days of classroom lecture, casualty assessment and chemical and biological discussions, Team Fairchild continues to train and maintain full spectrum readiness to better support joint partners in achieving national defense requirements and chemical and biological preparedness.