LANDISVILLE, Pa. - Soldiers and Airmen from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 3rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team trained Feb. 3-7 at the Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center.
After four days of classroom instruction, the team conducted a hands-on exercise Feb. 7. The scenario involved investigating a clandestine drug lab inside a confined space.
Air Force Maj. Art Prough, the CST’s deputy commander, said it was a good week of training.
“For some of us who have been doing it for a little bit, it was a great refresher,” Prough said. “We also have some new folks, and it was good for them to see some things they haven’t seen before. And, working with our civilian first responders is always a good thing to maintain those relationships.”
Participants studied small-scale biological warfare and pharmaceutical-based agents in the classroom sessions.
The drug-lab scenario is a type of incident the CST could realistically get called out for, said Army Staff Sgt. Kyle Clark, a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear team chief. However, Clark said he and the other team member who investigated the lab during the exercise didn’t know what they were walking into.
“There were a few clues here and there, but ultimately, it’s our job to go in there and put pieces of the puzzle together and paint that picture for the guys out in the [tactical operations center],” he said.
During the exercise, Clark’s partner simulated exposure to a toxic substance in the room they were inspecting and required medical attention. Other CST members helped drag him out on a sled, decontaminated him, removed his protective suit and tried to determine the cause of his medical emergency.
“The man down part is just as important as going in there and finding out what you’re dealing with because, at the end of the day, keeping everybody safe is the end goal,” Clark said.
The CST is a highly specialized 22-member unit that responds to incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear high-yield explosives. Its members come from the Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard.
Prough said the team must conduct at least eight training exercises annually to maintain their skills.
The exercise on Feb. 7 was a train-up for an upcoming evaluation by U.S. Army North.
CBRN specialists from Pennsylvania’s State Partnership Program partner, Lithuania, observed the training.
Clark said the presence of the Lithuanian partners motivated the team.
“We’re always amped up to do well, but there was maybe a little bit more pressure,” Clark said.