DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- The mission of the 94th Airlift Wing is to provide tactical airlift and supporting capabilities to the joint community. A key element to achieving that mission is to be ready to take on any emergency situation thrown its way.
Earlier this year, Dobbins personnel flexed their emergency response muscles by participating in a base-wide exercise that included a Unit Control Center (UCC), Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and a Crisis Action Team (CAT). To prepare the next wave of emergency response savvy Airmen, an on-base training was held that is mandatory for any EOC member.
“The training focused on EOC operations, specifically for Emergency Support Function (ESF) members within the EOC and how to operate and communicate properly between the UCC, EOC and the CAT,” said Dr. Eric Stere, Installation Emergency Manager for Dobbins Air Reserve Base.
An EOCs purpose is to swiftly and accurately identify and manage an emergency. Emergencies can include incidents such as an active shooter, bomb threat, chemical warfare or aerial attack. Going through these exercises can build upon the two main components of incident management that Dr. Stere is teaching – communication and accountability.
“The biggest thing is incident management,” said Dr. Stere. “In order to properly manage an incident, you have to have communication and accountability. Making sure that all your assets actually reach their destination in a timely manner to support that response element for that particular incident is crucial.”
Course attendees ranged from public affairs specialists to intelligence officers. A standard EOC has 16 different ESFs from a variety of the base’s segments, each with their own roles and responsibilities to manage incidents.
“I came to today’s training to better understand the role that I play so that when we do have an incident, I’ll be able to go faster and ensure success,” said Lt. Col. Kerry Lyon, Chief of Intelligence, 94th Airlift Wing. “My biggest takeaway from today is that communication and accountability are going to set us up for success.”
This training is part of a larger, denser curriculum that is aimed to push base leaders out of their comfort zone and prepare them for future potential incidents.
“I want them to learn the fundamental basics so that way moving forward, whether it’s in exercises or real-world situations, they have a grasp and good foundation of what their responsibilities are as ESF members,” said Dr. Stere.