MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. -- Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort conducted Exercise Fallen Angel, March 11.
The training was held to meet the requirements of a mass casualty exercise 30 days prior to an Air Show and meet the annual requirement of preparing our installation against anti-terrorism and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats.
The city of Beaufort and the Air Station worked together to conduct the exercise to ensure Marines and civilians are prepared in the event of a mishap during the Air Show.
"There are a lot of moving parts throughout the mission, and every moving part has a purpose," said Cpl. Gregory Goff, a Military Police Officer.
"Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort first responders and mutual aid partners from Beaufort County performed in a superior manner as they worked on a simulated aircraft misphap," said Robert Ijames, the Installation Emergency Mananger aboard MCAS Beaufort.
"Tenant commands from the installation provided support via role players who acted their parts well; thus providing real world challenges for our first responders to sort through," said Ijames.
The exercise increased prepared for the upcoming Air Show in April.
"We have enjoyed a great relationship with Beaufort County since the Blue Angel mishap in 2007, but this was the first exercise since then," said Ijames. "This exercise focused exclusively on an aircraft crashing off station with multiple casualties in order to validate existing procedures."
The Air Station conducts five to seven exercises annually. This exercise focused on key departments of the installation working "real time" to resolve multiple issues.
"You take your basic skills that you learned in your job field, and apply them to bigger situations," said Goff.
The safety and readiness of those involved with the Air Show and the surrounding communities is paramount, and the Tri-Command area is ensuring that they are prepared in the event of a mishap.