COVINGTON, Pa. - U.S. Soldiers with the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard, instructed civilian first responders on proper procedures during military helicopter emergencies April 15.
Civil-military outreach engagements like this promote a stronger relationship with first responders and teach them what’s unique in responding to military incidents.
“This class is an eye-opener and learning opportunity because not only are we dealing with military helicopters in our area, but we are dealing with medevac, police helicopters and other law enforcement vehicles,” said Joshua Smith, director of Clifton Township Emergency Management. “It’s not just limited to the military, and we need to be prepared and able to think outside the box.”
First responders need to know how to respond to military aircraft accidents and safely secure the scene.
“Some things we noticed lately in the U.S. is that there have been at least two, three medevac/ helicopter crashes in the past two, three months, and we want to be prepared,” said Smith.
First responders got a hands-on orientation with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and learned to identify hazards and essential crash and rescue procedures for aircraft emergencies.
“We take pride in our 250+ hours of training for search and rescue department that include urban and wilderness,” said Roger Tobias, chief of East Penn Technical Search and Rescue of Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
This community engagement event raised local first responders’ awareness of military emergencies and fostered trust and confidence between the community and the Pennsylvania National Guard. Leaders hope that will pay dividends down the road.
“I found all the instructors very patient and helpful, and we were able to get some of our guys to poke around in the helicopter,” said Tobias. “We learned where the fuel shutoff and engine shutoff were located, and that will be very important during an accident. We would love to see more of these programs in the future. This event is better than the other courses we attended.”