1st SOMDG hold disease containment exercise

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Callaway
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  On Feb. 4, 2015, a bus full of simulated sick patients arrived at the 1st Special Operations Medical Group. These patients were greeted by more than seven people dressed in white contamination suits. The Airmen from the 1st SOMDG had begun their annual disease containment plan exercise.
The purpose behind this exercise is to ensure that all medical personnel are properly trained to react to a disease outbreak on base as well as in the community.
“We are working hard to equip ourselves with all the tools needed, just in case we are ever threatened by a disease outbreak,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Price, Public Health disaster team chief. “Exposing ourselves to this kind of exercise will help make us 100% qualified.”
The medical staff wrote down all the symptoms that the sick patients were experiencing, and then escorted each person to a separate room where they were quarantined from the rest of the building.
“Realistic exercises provide valuable training, while identifying deficiencies and areas for improvement, said Col. Cheryl Lowry, 1st SOMDG commander. “A disease outbreak of a large magnitude involves more than just treating patients within the Medical Group. It involves support from other base units, such as Force Support Squadron that would provide an isolation facility.”
Once the sick patients had been diagnosed with the contagious disease, they were transferred to the Aderholt Fitness Center, where they received treatment separate from other patients.
“Fortunately, we don’t have the opportunity to respond to actual disease outbreaks often,” Lowry said. “But when we do, there’s no time to practice, and we need to get it right.”
The airmen were able to focus on the interaction and coordination between multiple units that would be involved in responding to a disease outbreak.
“Our medics performed extremely well,” Lowry said. “They took the exercise seriously, and I’m confident they would be able to meet the challenge if we were faced with an actual disease outbreak situation. I am proud to serve with such a dedicated group of professionals!”