Oceana, City of Chesapeake Solidify Seamless Response to HAZMAT

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (NNS) -- First responders from Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services trained with Chesapeake Fire Department personnel at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress March 7, in an exercise to prepare units to respond to scenarios involving hazardous materials (HAZMAT).

John Heistand, installation training officer at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, said the purpose of joint exercises between Navy and local first responders is to solidify response procedures, build working relationships and create seamless communication between the many agencies.

The exercise scenario simulated two auxiliary fuel tanks being jettisoned from an aircraft over NALF Fentress that created a situation with two contaminated and injured victims as well as a scene contaminated with jet fuel.

"It was perfect; the way they responded, the way they set up, what they did," said Heistand of the exercise's initial outcome. "We had great communication between the units responding to the scene, so when they arrived they were not wasting time figuring out what was going on."

Heistand credits past exercises like this one in creating dynamic communication between Navy and local first responders and said the outstanding communication between the agencies allowed for "seamless operations to occur."

"The better bond that we have with the Navy and working as a neighbor together here just serves us well because we'll be able to understand each other, work well together and the relationship that we've build has been awesome so far," said Capt. Michael Tortora, Chesapeake Fire Department training director. "Having a face you see all the time and knowing that you work well together and understand each other and the responses between the city of Chesapeake and the U.S. Navy, I'll tell you what, that's a great relationship to have and it makes it a whole lot easier when you have that emergency."

Initial planning of the exercise dates back to December 2011, when Navy first responders and local responders participated in an exercise involving a simulated aircraft crash, according to Heistand. Both Heistand and Tortora noted the aircraft mishap in Virginia Beach in April 2012, was a scenario that included similar HAZMAT to this exercise. Heistand said that all agencies recognized a need for training in the recovery stage of responses that involve HAZMAT. Heistand said a similar exercise is planned with Virginia Beach later in March.

"This is a great example of how planning, cooperation and teamwork can pay off in a big way," said Capt. Bob Geis, commanding officer of NAS Oceana. "The more we train to respond together, the better prepared we'll be and when the time comes, we will be ready."

For more news from Naval Air Station Oceana, visit www.navy.mil/local/oceana/.