Medical team provides realism to international airport exercise

by Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
375th Air Mobility Wing, Public Affairs

4/22/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE,Ill. -- Three members of the 375th Medical Group moulaged 21 patients for a 2-hour training exercise at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, April 19, 2014.

The trio from the 375th MDG readiness office, helped simulate wounds from an aircraft crash on volunteers for a live exercise. The full scale, emergency exercise is required for all commercial airports by the Federal Aviation Administration every three years.

Leading this effort was Staff Sgt. Lacey Erbe, Miranda Krill and civilian Clyde Nobles, who stepped up to provide their moulage skills.

"We provide trauma field makeup to enhance the first responders training to prepare them for real world scenarios," said Erby, moulage team chief.

After the simulated casualties' moulage was completed, the Scott team accompanied the casualties out to the accident to position them accordingly for the first responders. As part of the exercise, the airport's emergency responders coordinated treatment and transportation of crash victims. Some of the volunteers were transported to area hospitals to extend the emergency training to those facilities.

Bill Korte, Lambert's assistant director for operations and maintenance, said they have used Scott before in past exercises.

"They [Scott moulage team] provide us the realism we need in a drill like this," said Korte. "This exercise wouldn't be possible without them. The more real it is the better it is for the first responders."

The airport rescue firefighters acted as the first responders to a live fire produced by a Mobile Aircraft Trainer that simulated a fully engulfed aircraft. Airport Police, EMS, and dozens of other departments participated in the drill along with support from Lambert airlines and two area hospitals.

Krill said, "This exercise demonstrates just one of the many ways Scott personnel support the community and its good practice for us to keep our skills current."