INDIANAPOLIS - Army Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, the adjutant
general of the Indiana National Guard, has received notice and is extremely
pleased to announced that the Indiana National Guard will receive additional
personnel and equipment to focus on a critical homeland security mission.
The Indiana national Guard will be responsible for manning and fielding a
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE)
Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP).
The CERFP will provide immediate response capability for the citizens of
Indiana: incident site search capability of damaged buildings, rescuing
trapped casualties, providing decontamination, and performing medical triage
and initial treatment to stabilize patients for transport to medical
facilities.
The CERFP is comprised of four elements staffed by personnel from already
established National Guard units.
Elements include search and extraction, decontamination, medical, and command
and control.
The command and control team directs the overall activities of the CERFP, and
coordinates with the Joint Task Force-State (JTF-State) and the incident
commander.
The search and extraction element is assigned to an Indiana Army National
Guard Engineering Company, the decontamination element is assigned to an
Indiana Army National Guard Chemical Company, and the medical element is
assigned to an Indiana Air National Guard Medical Group.
Additional security duties for the incident site and the four CERFP elements
will be performed by the Indiana National Guard Response Force.
The units will begin the CERFP mission in October 2010 and continue the
mission indefinitely.