Marines, first responders conduct hazmat exercise

Marines and first responders with Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), the Provost Marshal’s Office, and MCAS Miramar Fire Department recently conducted an exercise that simulated a bioterrorism attack at MCAS Miramar, California.

Marines with ARFF’s HAZMAT response team collected samples from dry filter units and soil samples. They then sent them to a lab where they tested positive for Tularemia, a disease that is often used in bioterrorism attacks and affects both animals and humans.

“It is important that we know how to respond to incidents like this because we are very close to the San Diego population,” Lance Cpl. Luis Da Luz, a hazardous material entry team technician with ARFF, said.

Military police officers with the Provost Marshal’s Office at MCAS Miramar posted security around the contaminated area. MCAS Miramar’s Fire Department performed technical decontamination operations on the HAZMAT response team.

The exercise enabled the marines and first responders to practice and evaluate their incident command protocols, first responder immediate actions, communication protocols and incident command interface with emergency operations centers as well as organize cooperation between MCAS Miramar’s first responders.

“These Marines are properly trained and ready for any incident or emergency that pops up,” Sgt. Travis Atkinson, a station captain for the exercise with MCAS Miramar ARFF, said. “They are well equipped and qualified for whatever HAZMAT situation that could possibly take place on this base.”