507th, 137th ARW conduct emergency evacuation exercise

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Kim Howerton
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Members of the 507th and 137th Oklahoma Air National Guard Air Refueling Wings fuels shops tested their emergency evacuation response skills and teamwork here March 20.

The exercise is an annual requirement allowing contributors to the wings' joint emergency extraction plan to see if their written requirements translated into workable plans when executed, according to Exercise Evaluation Team chief Lt. Col. Trina Hood, 507th ARW.

The fuel shop personnel demonstrated excellent skills and seamless teamwork when called into action, according to exercise organizer Master Sgt. Tom Verdine, 137th ARW fuels shop chief. Verdine and Tech. Sgt. Roger Garrett, 507th Maintenance Squadron fuels shop chief, conducted the exercise to allow key contributors to the 507th and 137th emergency extraction plan to see their plans in action. Hood worked with the group to clarify the purpose of the exercise and the importance of EET member feedback.

Verdine and Garrett intentionally held the exercise before the extraction plan was signed in order to give them an opportunity to review the plan in action during the exercise and review their evaluation requirements.

During the exercise, Verdine handed an exercise input card to fuel shop member Airman 1st Class Raina Kanoff informing her of the unresponsive team member inside the fuel cell of the aircraft. Kanoff called into the aircraft to check on the unresponsive airman and told her co-worker, Tech. Sgt. Russell Conner, to report the problem to the maintenance operations center and request emergency responders.

Conner made the call and then helped Kanoff put on her protective gear. She entered the aircraft, and changed out the respiratory filter of the rescue dummy that was used inside the aircraft. The team used the correct two-person carry to carry the airman outside the hangar to begin self-aid and buddy care. Once the fire department representatives witnessed the buddy care being administered the exercise was terminated.

Base fire department representatives were impressed with the excellent response by the fuel cell team members. Attending firemen, Kenneth Crawford and Thomas Trello, agreed the buddy care provided was the best they had witnessed.

All members of the evaluation team were pleased with the results and told Verdine there were only going to be a couple of minor changes. Verdine explained the group would have one week to comment and make changes before the final emergency extraction plan was ready for signatures.