MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- With sirens blaring and lights flashing, fire trucks and ambulances went speeding through the air station Feb. 4 during a mass casualty drill.
The scenario, which drew assistance from agencies such as the Yuma Fire Department, the Rural Metro Fire Department, the Branch Medical Clinic, the Provost Marshals Office, Aircraft Recovery and Firefighting, and the station Environmental Department, started with the mock crash of a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter.
"The purpose of the drill was to gather several services and find out how they would interact with each other during a real disaster situation," said Staff Sgt. Charles T. Dine, ARFF section leader.
Once the call was received, the first crew on the scene was from the ARFF unit. The other departments had been notified as well, and were on their way to offer assistance.
In the scenario, by-standers at the scene reported seeing a trail of white smoke from the Sea Knight prior to it crashing, which indicated the use of a shoulder-fired rocket to take down the helicopter. There were 18 people aboard the aircraft, and at this point, an unknown number of them had already lost their lives.
As the firefighters fought the simulated fire, a deadly contaminant was reported at the scene. One of their men fell victim to the toxin and was added to the list of casualties.
By this time, the Environmental Department was on hand to test the area for contamination. Their tests showed no traces of any toxins, which led Dine to believe the contaminant was some type of gas that had disseminated by the time the Environmental team had gotten there.
The Yuma Fire Department assisted ARFF and set up decontamination pools for anyone believed to have been in contact with the toxin.
The Rural Metro Fire Department brought ambulances and personnel to treat the victims of the crash and transport them to the hospital.
"We were right on top of it, and then they threw a curve-ball at us," said Sgt. Dan C. Eshelman, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of training at ARFF.
That "curve-ball" was thrown when the Yuma Regional Medical Center reported a contamination of their facility. The hospital was evacuated and none of the victims were allowed to be transported there.
Phone calls were made to hospitals as far away as Phoenix and San Diego in order to find a place to treat the crash victims, said Dine.
The process was designed to test every possible danger that could come from a real disaster. A team of evaluators watched and took notes throughout the exercise, Dine said.
"They're basically setting you up for failure with everything they throw at you," explained Eshelman.
"But if you can handle it all with the assets you have, you don't really fail," said Dine. "We definitely didn't fail."
ARFF crewmembers are convinced that they can handle any disaster from any type of aircraft.
"There's not an aircraft made that we don't know how to handle," said Eshelman. "Every Marine here, from the highest rank to the lowest, has the same level of training."
"We're very prepared," said Dine. "With any Marine Corps operation, it all falls back on the training. Firefighting is no different."
"There's not a single Marine on the crash crew that I don't trust with my life," stated Eshelman.
Even with all the different types of aircraft scheduled to perform at this year's air show, combined with America's continuing bout with terror, ARFF Marines say that they are ready for anything that could happen.
"Basically, Americans should continue living their lives, even in the shadow of terrorism," said Dine. "Holding the air show is a good idea, and it shows that we are not afraid."