North Dakota National Guard practices chemical emergency response measures

The 81st Civil Support Team of the North Dakota National Guard’s got together with local emergency response agencies last week to conduct a short-notice emergency response exercise.

Soldiers and local officials were given the mission profile on the day of the event. The teams tackled a simulated chemical and radiation response, performing the task as if it was a real-world situation. That was in order to fine-tune their response procedures for chemical and radiation threats.

The exercise took place at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, and the emergency responders walked into the situation without knowing what task lied ahead. Soldiers and local officials were simply briefed that there could be any number of disaster or emergency response scenarios.

The teams had to react immediately to identify, evaluate, minimize and eliminate threats in their mission to protect the civilian population.

The 81st Civil Support, comprised of North Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, took on the training simulations as a means to stand ready to respond immediately to chemical, nuclear, biological, radiological and explosive hazards.