Moody tests emergency response during airshow exercise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Eric Schloeffel
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  In preparation for the upcoming Moody Airfest, Airmen participated in an exercise simulating an aircraft crash Sept. 13. 

The exercise tested the base's response to an emergency situation if a real-world mishap occurs during the event, said Master Sgt. Dan Williams, NCO-in-charge of wing inspections. 

"We are mandated to perform one of these exercises prior to an air show event which is why we picked this scenario," said Sergeant Williams. "We received involvement from many different units on base and asked how they wanted us to test their Airmen. So this exercise not only fills a mandated requirement, but it allows the units to see how their Airmen perform." 

Airmen from nearly every unit played a role in the exercise. The 23rd Medical Group and 38th Rescue Squadron assisted the simulated crash victims, while Moody firefighters and first responders reacted to the threats inherent to an aircraft crash. 

The 23rd Security Forces Squadron provided crowd control and security measures as Airmen from various Moody units acted as stunned air show spectators. 

Several local agencies also participated in the one-day exercise including the Lowndes County Fire Department, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office and South Georgia Medical Center. This type of off-base involvement would be vital if such a scenario were to occur, which makes their exercise-contribution a necessary task, said Senior Master Sgt. David Smith, wing inspections superintendent. 

"The base obviously could not handle a situation like this alone, and we would need medical assistance since Moody only has clinic services," said Sergeant Smith. "We have to figure out issues like how many people could South Georgia Medical Center handle before other hospitals would be needed to provide assistance. 

"Hopefully, our first responders learned from each other and improved processes all around," he added. "This exercise expanded our scope to communicate with off-base first responders and ensure everybody talks the same language." 

While efforts during these exercises typically aren't recorded on a permanent grade sheet, Airmen should still try to provide top-notch performances, said Sergeant Smith. 

"We tried to make the exercise as realistic as possible to see how people handled different situations," the sergeant said. "The more effort you put into these exercises, the more you will get from the experience. It's not so much a critique; it's more to refine and polish our processes."