NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA -- Members from more than 15 of the 27 Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) teams joined together to sharpen their skills at Nellis Air Force Base from January 26 to February 2, 2018.
The 157th CERFP coordinated this unique event, bringing together instructors from the civilian sector, active-duty personnel and members of the National Guard.
Col. Robert Desko, the Air National Guard Surgeon General, Col. David Blake, the Air Force State Chair for Region 13, American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and the Commander of the 116th Medical Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Col. Louis Perino, the chief of aerospace medicine, 116th Air Control Wing, were just a few of the instructors at this year’s event.
“I am very impressed,” Blake said after one of his instructional panels. “This is an interesting collaborative effort, splitting tasks and sharing job responsibilities. I think we have something good here.”
During the event, personnel attended courses such as Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Trauma Nurses Core Course (TNCC), Pre- Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Emergency Medical Technician Refresher (EMT-R) and Basic Life Support Refresher (BLS-R).
“Our goal was for this to be a one-stop-shop, ensuring the readiness of our CERFP’s by accomplishing all of our Individual Training Readiness Matrix (ITRM) requirements as well as to bring partner regions together, to share ideas, training and resources,” said Capt. Lyndsey Fleming, the 157th MDG Det. 1 Medical Plans Officer.
Courses like these are in high demand, fill up fast and can be expensive to the units, if attended in the civilian sector. This can make it difficult for the traditional Guardsman to get the training they need. From a readiness standpoint, being able to conduct in house events such as these, saves the units time, money, and ensures the members of these specialized CERFP units are ready at a moment’s notice.
“The fight isn’t only fought overseas, it’s fought here, on our homeland and we must be ready,” said Lt. Col. Alyn Theriault, commander of the New Hampshire CERFP.