NHCCC DECON Team Trains in First Receiver Operations

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (NNS) -- Twenty-four Sailors from Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Decontamination Team completed the Navy Bureau of Medicine (BUMED) First Receiver Operations Training (FROT) May 1.

The two-and-a-half-day course is designed to educate U.S. Navy Medical First Receivers on life saving skills required to triage, initiate field treatment, decontaminate and save victims from CBRN, or Hazardous Materials.

It involved a day of classroom instruction with the remainder of time devoted to gear inventory, equipment set-up, utility checks, and a hands-on, timed teamwork drill.

When DECON Instructor and BUMED contractor Theresa Casey gave the start signal, the CBRN team suited up and began paving the way for quickly and efficiently decontaminating mock casualties from a simulated terrorist's weapon of mass destruction (WMD).

Agilely maneuvering among the crew while the minute hand raced forward, Casey methodically evaluated their responsiveness to don hot and uncomfortable personal protective equipment, and set-up a decontamination station with its pump, electric hook-up, heater, plumbing and other necessary gear. In six minutes they were up and running with shelter and water connections, and within nine minutes they were processing, triaging and fully decontaminating patients.

"They did a great job! Everyone was focused and they knew what their roles were," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Joan C. Santamaria, the clinic's Emergency Management training petty officer. "The team worked together knowing that they had something important to do, they got it done, and they did it quickly!"

Casey also praised the Sailors and their Command.

"It was amazing to see such an enthusiastic team comprised of such junior personnel, especially since this is the first time for them to train together," she said. "Their outstanding performance makes it obvious that they have a great deal of support from their senior leadership."

Capt. Bill Davidson, acting commanding officer, kept a keen eye on his Sailors' performance during the exercise.

Having deployed in 2003 with Charlie Surgical Company in support of combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and once again in February 2005 in support of Multi-National Forces West, Al Anbar Province, Davidson is a staunch advocate for routine preparedness and rapid response.

"I expected nothing less. I am very proud of you because I take this seriously," Davidson said of the team's performance. "I was assigned to one of the first medical teams in Iraq, and during two mass casualty episodes our chemical alarms went off. Although both turned out to be false alarms, it still makes you think of the real possibilities. That's why we have to be prepared at all times!"

For more news from Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, visit www.navy.mil/local/nhcc/.