Pave PAWS interagency emergency response drill hones procedures

  • Published
  • By Barbara Burnett
  • 6th Space Warning Squadron
CAPE COD AIR FORCE STATION, Mass. --  The 6th Space Warning Squadron Pave PAWS radar site saw heated activity Feb. 24, as emergency responders rehearsed procedures they would put into action during a real crisis.

Security forces, fire, medical and crisis response specialists from the Massachusetts Military Reservation's Coast Guard and Air National Guard, Massachusetts State Police, Bourne Police Department and FBI jointly exercised emergency response.

"I can't thank you all enough," Lt. Col. Max Lantz, 6th SWS commander, said to participants in the unified exercise. "Our exercise today was very successful, and gives us confidence that we are postured correctly to quickly resolve unique security situations. We are committed to providing the highest level of security for Cape Cod Air Force Station, and our close working relationship with the Bourne police and fire departments, as well as Massachusetts State Police, MMR Fire Department, Coast Guard, Massachusetts National Guard and the FBI is critical to that endeavor."

The 6th SWS hosted this interagency drill to strengthen working relationships and fine-tune shared contingency protocols based on the National Incident Management System, a policy instituted after 9/11 by Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5. This system provides a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, respond to and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size or complexity. For interoperability and compatibility, the NIMS includes a core set of concepts, principles, terminology and technologies, as well as multi-agency coordination systems, unified command, training, identification and management of resources, qualifications and certification, and the collection, tracking and reporting of incident information and incident resources.

Thematically, the drill responded to an active shooter scenario, with an employee simulating sniper attacks on staff at Cape Cod AFS.

Tag-teaming as incident commanders were 6th SWS Security Force's Tech. Sgt. Allen Shank as first on-scene, then the MMR Fire Department's Capt. Todd Beaulieu, accompanied by firefighter Sean Dion, who came to perform medical triage.

"We applied the whole NIMS, specifically employing the unified command structure, planning, logistics, intelligence, medical and emergency management resources," Captain Beaulieu said. "If today's event hadn't been a drill, Bourne Fire Department would've been first responders, but they had real world responsibilities to take care of today."

Massachusetts State Police sent many specialists from across the Commonwealth. Maj. Bruce Gordon, MSP D-Troop commander, Capt. Thomas Majenski and Sgt. James Marquis brought years of experience and broad regional perspective.

"Today's effort sharpened our NIMS preparedness for critical incidents that could happen at this base, or any other place in the Commonwealth," said Captain Majenski.

Capt. Scott Berna, MSP Tactical Operations commander and Sgt. Aaron Washington, Special Tactical Operations team commander, brought several specialists who partnered with 6th SWS security forces to organize operations, secure the area and apprehend the role-playing sniper.

"It's a team effort," said Sergeant Washington. "One team won't be successful by themselves; that only happens in the movies."

MSP Bourne Barracks and Bourne Police Department arrived within minutes as the primary law enforcement response team for Cape Cod AFS.

Lt. John Paulo, MSP Bourne Barracks station commander, expressed pride in the performance of troopers assigned permanently to MMR patrol.

"Today we responded with assets tailored to this active shooter scenario," Lieutenant Paulo said. "In other situations, we'd support with appropriate assets, such as air wing, crime scene analysis, investigative, explosive units from the state fire marshall's office. We also have a marine unit. It's important to establish a protocol with which everyone's familiar, so as soon as you get there, you know what to do. We're currently planning a similar exercise with Otis Air National Guard Base. This is good NIMS practice."

 

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