Inspection for everyone at Hill AFB

  • Published
  • By Mary Lou Gorny
  • Hilltop Times editor
HILL AIR FORCE BASE --  So an Operational Readiness Inspection team member hands a card to someone in your building that indicates a "Protect in Place" need due to some kind of hazardous materials incident. You're a civilian employee or contractor who works in that building and you see this happening, or overhear them talking about it -- what do you do? Do you then laugh and joke your way through a saunter down the hall to your chain of command and grudgingly leave your work station to the appropriate room, stopping to grab your hand bag or laptop?

While Operational Readiness Exercises occur on a regular basis, the upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection is a once-every-three year inspection. Its purpose is to prove Hill Air Force Base is ready for war.

As Chief Master Sgt. David Nordel, command chief for the Ogden Air Logistics Center and 75th Air Base Wing, points out, that includes everyone at Hill -- civilians, contractors and military.

Senior Airman Ashley Alexander, 775th Air Base Wing Emergency Readiness Plans and Programs, explained recently that in such a hazardous materials situation, all present in the building must quickly go to the appropriate Shelter in Place designated room upon notification.

While dramatics are not being called for, Alexander asks that all those involved respond with a sense of urgency appropriate to such an occurrence during the inspection.

Drove the point home

When a tanker overturned on I-15 close to the base recently, a lot of civilian workers got a better sense of why emergency protocols extend to more than just military workers, said Alexander. The accident nearby and emergency lockdowns which followed made the message much more concrete.

In the Shelter in Place Room, during a hazardous materials incident, personnel should find a clearly marked Shelter in Place kit and open it up to find a list of instructions inside.

One of the first and most important actions to take is to have the heating ventilation and air conditioning system shut off for that building. The checklist will indicate the proper way to shut off the buildings HVAC or list the appropriate number to call and have the system shut off remotely. Also in the kit should be plastic, tape, towels and other items with simple and direct instructions on how to essentially seal everyone in the room.

Once an "All Clear" signal has been given, it is very important that personnel purge their building. This involves anything from turning on their vent systems and fans to opening their windows for circulation. This allows for a cross flow of air to dissipate any lingering chemicals.

For more information, consult your Unit Emergency Management Representative (UEMR) or your building's facility manager, who should be the Shelter in Place Manager. You can find more information on Hill AFB Emergency Management's sharepoint site https://cs.eis.afmc.af.mil/sites/readiness/EM/Hill/default.aspx.

Those who cannot access the website may contact their Unit Emergency Management representative or facility manager.

Other possibilities?

What are some of the other scenario cards that could be handed out by inspectors? Fire, heart attack and active shooter scenario cards. Scheduled for publication Oct. 21 is a full page list of condensed steps for ORI scenarios.

Also, the Sept. 30 edition of the Hilltop Times lists appropriate responses for an active shooter type of scenario as given in an article by Stephen Nutt, installation antiterrorism chief. The article is available online at www.hilltoptimes.com/node/3450.

In short, that article mentioned that if the active shooter event is happening in your near proximity, take shelter behind whatever is available (your desk for example), shut and secure your door or access to your area. If the event is taking place in your building, but not in your proximity, retire to the "Protect in Place" room -- likely the same room as the "Shelter in Place" room - call the authorities and stay secure. When emergency responders approach, keep your hands in sight and follow their instructions. You are advised basically, to protect yourself first, and only take out the shooter if that is your best defensive option, or to protect another.

For fire emergencies, tell the inspector the appropriate response to the blaze itself and then when you would normally dial 911, dial the fire station on base at 777-3021 and tell them you have been handed a fire emergency card.

For heart attacks, explain that you would use appropriate reponses such as CPR and using a defibrillator. Simulate calling 911 (alert the command post), tell someone to overhead page a code blue, using the following words: "Exercise, Exercise, Code Blue in (list location). Exercise message out."

For more information, contact your local unit or directorate Emergency Response representative.