DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. —
Dover Air Force Base held a base-wide Force Protection Major Accident Response Exercise (FPMARE) Oct. 6-7, 2021.
This exercise tested the response capabilities of Airmen from units in the 436th Airlift Wing, as well as their reserve counterparts in the 512th Airlift Wing.
“This week tested the resolve of our Total Force Airmen and leaders through several worst-case scenario exercises in an effort to strengthen our ability to provide rapid global mobility in challenging conditions,” said Maj. Christian Litscher, 436th AW Inspector General chief of wing exercises.
Department of Defense military installations use Force Protection Conditions levels to dictate security procedures based on current threats to personnel. The 436th AW IG office is responsible for testing the base FPCONs as an annual requirement to enhance training for a real-world scenario.
“The 436th and 512th Inspector General offices have diligently worked with units from across the wings to craft realistic scenarios to ensure the readiness of our Airmen while accomplishing numerous Air Force and Department of Defense exercise and training requirements,” said Litscher.
Team Dover Airmen had their situational awareness put to the test through several different scenarios including an active shooter and a chemical attack.
The active shooter scenario involved Airmen from the 436th Security Forces Squadron apprehending the suspect. Firemen from the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron and medics from the 436th Medical Group provided first aid and provided triage to victims.
During the chemical attack, a bag emitting an unknown substance was left on a crew bus. Affected Airmen were escorted off of the bus by firemen and were taken to the medical clinic for decontamination.
“We must remain ready to respond to any number of events that can occur on the installation,” said Col. Matt Husemann, 436th AW commander. “Training scenarios and exercises challenge us to continuously improve our situational awareness and response capabilities so our Airmen can ensure the safety of the base, while continuing to rock operational objectives.”
Based on observations from this exercise, the IG office will recommend any enhancements to base procedures to ensure operational effectiveness.
