State Partnership Program

Video by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson

Hawaii National Guard Maintains Readiness Through Combined Training Exercise

State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, Public Affairs Office

July 19, 2017 | 2:09

In the event of a natural or human-caused disaster the Hawaii National Guard has a unit of Soldiers and Airman who are ready to respond. The Guard would then activate their Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) team and send them to respond. The rescue unit, comprised of Soldiers and Airman who have volunteered for this additional duty, could be on-site and assisting in operations aimed at diminishing human suffering within two hours. It is this type of response that over 200 Soldiers and Airmen recently practiced during their biannual combined training exercise.

VOT - Maj. James Kanoholani, Commander, HING CERFP

Disasters rarely happen close to facilities where victims can be treated. The CERFP team has a fleet of trucks and trailers, each meticulously packed with all the supplies they will need to respond, including the temporary structures in which they operate out of. These trucks and trailers can be loaded on an air transport and flown to the neighbor islands as well.

To add a since of reality during the exercise, disaster victims where played by actors from Dunhil professional staffing who where made up in moulage to simulate their injuries. They played their part wailing, screaming and sometimes wandering off to give the rescuers experience dealing with actual humans victims. (Air National Guard Video by Tech Sgt. Andrew Jackson)