McConnell's emergency management inspection

by Senior Airman Colby L. Hardin
22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

12/5/2014 - MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- McConnell Airmen participated in an emergency management inspection, a simulated homeland terrorist attack Dec. 3, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

It was a total force exercise involving the 931st Air Refueling Group and 184th Intelligence Wing.

"We do this to test and evaluate the wing's ability to respond, protect personnel, and recover and restore operations after an emergency," said Lt. Col. David Mazzara, 22nd Air Refueling Wing inspector general. "We want to make sure that we are ready to take on any challenge that comes our way."

The Wing Inspection Team makes sure that they can get as close to real life situations as they can.

"We want to see people's reaction as if it were a real life situation, instead of what they would do when they have time to plan for it." added Mazzara.

The scenarios that are simulated during exercises are meant to have a real life feel to them without the actual accident happening.

"It's difficult to match the intensity of real life; it's almost impossible," Mazzara said. "We still have our real world mission going on at the same time and we do a good job completing both missions."

Even when not all members are able to participate the wing still does its job to stay ready for any incident that could occur.

"As part of the wing inspection team, we're just looking for any deficiencies," said Mazzara. "or any way that we can deal with a possible incident more efficiently."

The information gathered by the wing inspection team will be given to the wing commander for him to look at and make changes to the way we handle emergencies.
"It takes a large effort from the wing inspection team and the leadership to make all of this come together," Mazzara added. "Overall we do all of this to make the wing better and improve the safety of all of our personnel."