Thousands Come Together To Prepare for Disasters

Local, state and federal agencies are coming together this week on the Gulf Coast to train for natural and manmade disasters. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports.

The LifeSaver training exercises being conducted this week on the Gulf Coast are part of the National Disaster Medical System. That system works to enhance the nation’s medical response capability by combining federal, state and military assets when responding to natural or manmade disasters. Lt. Colonel Chris Morgan is the Federal Coordinating Center Director for Keesler Air Force Base,

“We come together to be sure that we have interoperability that we can exchange patients from location to another and treat them seamlessly. That’s what we are here to do.”

More than 2000 individual from 5 states are taking part in this year’s training scenario which includes a simulated terrorist attack involving a chemical weapon. Technical Sgt. Williams is standing the mock triage line at Keesler Airforce Base,

“When you are actually exposed to a chemical they actually de-con you before you go into facility, then they check…”

Technical Sgt. Williams is one of 400 playing the role of causalities for the exercise. Jonathan Wilson, team leader for Mississippi’s State Medical Assistance Team says the more training opportunities the better,

“That way when we look at another Katrina, or an earthquake in the new Madrid or anything else across the state that can hurt the citizens of Mississippi. This type of exercise pulls everybody together and lets us work together so when we deploy in the field we already have a connection and we already know how to work well together.”

Along with federal and state agencies, 25 hospitals across the region are also taking part in the exercise.