Training aids first responder readiness Published July 29, 2015 By Alexandra Kocik Northwest Guardian JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Bodies lay strewn around a simulated C-17 Globemater III that has crashed. Cries of agony echoed in the clearing on McChord Field as a firetruck sprayed the front of the metal representation of a burning cargo plane, its rusty hull turning dark as the water flows. Thankfully, this is just another day of training for Joint Base Lewis-McChord emergency responders. The Shock Top full-scale exercise July 17 gave JBLM first responders -- firefighters, police and medics -- a chance to practice for the worst type of accident that could happen on JBLM. Ron Glickman, JBLM Fire and Emergency Services assistant chief of training, said the magnitude of this particular exercise had not taken place since the installation became a joint base. It took six weeks of preparation to make the four-hour-long training successful. "This is a day to make sure everyone knows what to do and how to handle these high-level situations," he said. Firefighters put on their aircraft rescue and firefighting suits, made of special heat resistant material, that look like thick, aluminum foil, that helps protect the firefighters from temperatures as high as 500 degrees. But the special suits were not put to the test. The training plane mockup could not be set ablaze. Hours before the exercise began, organizers found a propane leak in a tube in the mock aircraft. Nevertheless, there were plenty of other steps to go through after putting out the simulated flames. Firefighters are trained to quickly assess and organize those injured in an accident. After checking respiratory signs and assessing injuries, responders assign them a triage color. The scale has four choices: green for no apparent injuries, yellow for minor injuries, red for life-threatening injuries and black represents the victims have died. Along with several medical dummies, there were 23 volunteer actors. Each were assigned particular injuries and symptoms. The actors reported hours before the event would begin to get into moulage and clothing to represent their injuries. The process took anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes, depending on the level of detail. Private First Class Kaylin Carter, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, had the longest time with the moulage process. After nearly an hour in makeup, he came out with the left side of his Army Combat Uniform ripped and red stained with a gnarly looking shard of fake glass sticking out of his face. "We are supposed to either sit or lay down, depending on our assigned injuries," he said. "I'm actually supposed to be unresponsive at the moment. We will have to limp in line with what they assigned us, although some of us will be unable to walk." Others, like Pvt. Monica Cabrera, from 2nd Infantry Division Artillery, didn't have many physical injuries. "My leg is supposed to be all twisted up, which you can't really see at the moment," she said, motioning to her pants. Volunteers were encouraged to bring an extra change of clothes, as some would be cut off or ruined during rescue attempts. After responders checked their vital signs, each patient was helped to a designated area away from the crash. Green, yellow and red tarps on the ground served as a way to organize the injured. Those with life- threatening injuries were given medical priority on the scene and incoming ambulances. The victims were then transported to different hospitals, dictated by the disaster medical control center. The center is connected to how many beds are available in each hospital. A Madigan Army Medical Center representative then visits each hospital they were taken to in order to check on the number and status of the injured. In the simulation, the volunteers were transported to a building acting as a mock simulated hospital in a mix of ambulances and vans. Each casualty stood in different areas representing different hospitals to give the Madigan representative a chance to practice their role in the crisis -- a role all first responders on JBLM hope never becomes a reality.