A "victim" of a mock dirty bomb on Camp Schwab is examined as he's pulled off an ambulance bus at the Naval Hospital on Camp Lester during Thursday's mass casualty drill. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
A "victim" of a mock dirty bomb on Camp Schwab is examined as he's pulled off an ambulance bus at the Naval Hospital on Camp Lester during Thursday's mass casualty drill. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
Several Marine Corps Base firefighters test for radiation levels on Camp Schwab during Thursday's drill. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
A “victim” of a dirty bomb on Camp Schwab walks around in shock carrying the leg of another victim during Thursday’s drill. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
Marine Corps Base firefighters on Camp Schwab subdue a "victim" in Thursday's mass casualty drill. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
A Marine has donned his gas mask while standing guard outside the perimeter where a mock dirty bomb detonated on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, during a mass-casualty drill Thursday. In the background are the “walking wounded” who were just decontaminated and waiting for medical personnel to escort them out for examination. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — “Terrorists” struck this small northern camp hard Thursday as a dirty bomb was set off, “killing” several Marines and “injuring” dozens more. But that wasn’t the only incident that day: a nerve agent was released in the air vents of a Camp Courtney barracks, doing damage to even more Marines.
While the scenarios played out were merely an exercise, they were designed to test the emergency response of the camps, security forces, and fire and medical personnel.
The mass-casualty drill was the major event of an annual weeklong force-protection exercise the Marines were holding. Other events throughout the week included various heightened force-protection measures and testing of security forces and first responders on proper manning and response procedures.
The exercise is designed to “ensure that we have a safer environment in which our personnel, employees and family members can live and conduct their missions,” according to a Marine Corps Base public affairs spokeswoman. About 1,000 Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen took part in the exercise.
During Thursday’s drill on Camp Schwab, firefighters were the first on the scene, followed by security forces. Despite the groans of the injured as they lay on the ground, the “walking wounded” were treated first.
“We can make a difference with the walking right away,” said Brian Johnson, Marine Corps Bases fire chief. “We can decontaminate them by getting water on them with a hose.”
Johnson said others among the injured had to wait until the hazardous-materials team arrived. Once there, the team set up its decontamination line and suited up in protective equipment in about 30 minutes. The site was tested for hazardous materials before victims were removed for decontamination.
Victims then were triaged by U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa staff members and prioritized for shipment via ambulance to the hospital on Camp Lester. Patients arrived at the hospital, were taken to another triage area, then sent to the appropriate hospital department.
“Drills like this keep everyone refreshed on the emergency process,” said Navy Capt. Rick Becker, Naval Hospital commanding officer. “This helps us find where our fail points are … we really want to test ourselves and find where our weaknesses are so we can improve on them.”
Becker said two-thirds of the hospital staff took part in the exercise.
Kadena Air Base’s 18th Medical Group supplied almost 40 medical personnel to augment the hospital staff and ambulances and bus ambulances to transport the so-called victims, according to Air Force Maj. Christopher Selby, the Medical Readiness Group officer.
Johnson said the exercise definitely helped all involved prepare for a real emergency of the drill’s magnitude. “Every time we do this we get better … better techniques, better operations and better communication with higher headquarters,” he said. “We did a good job today. We’ll find some areas to improve on but overall, we did good.”
