NG CERFP Command and Control Team
Mission: To provide immediate response capability to the Governor, searching an incident site, including damaged buildings; rescuing any casualties, decontaminating them, and performing medical triage and initial treatment to stabilize them for transport to a medical facility (this includes extracting anyone trapped in the rubble).
Overview: The CERFP is composed of four elements staffed by personnel from already established National Guard units. The elements are search and extraction, decontamination, medical, and command and control. The CERFP command and control team directs the overall activities of the CERFP and coordinates with the Joint Task Force - State and the Incident Commander. The CERFP search and extraction element mission is assigned to an Army National Guard Engineering Battalion, the decontamination element mission is assigned to an Army National Guard Chemical Battalion, and the medical element mission is assigned to an Air National Guard Medical Group. The security duties are performed by the state National Guard Quick Response Force.
The initial establishment of CERFPs placed at least one in each FEMA Region. There are currently 12 validated CERFPs. An additional five CERFPs have been authorized and funded by Congress, to include full-time manning and equipment. When an incident occurs within a team's response area, they are alerted through their State Headquarters and mobilized on State Active Duty. If the incident is located within their state, they would proceed to the incident when directed by their JFHQ. If the incident is located outside of their state, their State Headquarters would coordinate with the receiving state under the terms agreed to in the Emergency Mutual Aid Compact or EMAC.
After arriving at the incident site, the command and control team and element commanders coordinate with the incident commander and JTF Commander to determine how to most effectively employ the CERFP.
Recent Operations: Elements of these newly formed CERFP have already responded to incidents of national significance to provide assistance to civil authorities and to mitigate human suffering.
NG CERFP Search and Extraction Element
Mission: Conduct casualty search and extraction at an incident site. Extraction levels of rescue are defined as basic operations, light operations, medium operations, and heavy operations. Basic operations includes surface rescue at structural collapse incidents including the removal of debris to extricate easily accessible victims in stable environments. Light operations are a minimum capacity to conduct a safe and effective search and rescue where the collapse is of a light frame ordinary construction building.
Medium operations covers a response to a building or structural collapse involving the failure of cinder block or non-reinforced masonry construction. Heavy operations involve the collapse of a concrete tilt or reinforced concrete and steel structure.
Overview: The CERFP Search and Extraction element has been trained and certified to the basic operations level and can provide support from the Light to Heavy operations. The training received was in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1006 Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications, with emphasis on rescuer safety, breaching/breaking, debris lifting & moving, rigging techniques, and basic shoring concepts, which is the same type of training that civilian urban search and rescue teams receive. This allows the search and extraction element to work closely with civilian urban search and rescue teams.
If the CST has determined that radiation is present in the affected areas, maximum stay times are calculated and teams are sent into the area to conduct searches. The exposure of personnel is closely monitored to ensure that the rescuer does not become a casualty. The search and extraction element is assisted by the security element, which provides additional manpower for litter carrying. Those individuals rescued are taken immediately to the decontamination station for triage, decontamination, and treatment as required.
The search and extraction element commander directs the operations of the team, insuring that exposure levels are monitored, adequate work\rest cycles are observed, and team activities are communicated to the CERFP commander.
NG CERFP Decontamination Element
Mission: To conduct ambulatory and non-ambulatory patient decontamination under the supervision of medical personnel. The decontamination element will also assist the security element with local zone monitoring for force protection.
Overview: The Civil Support Team (CST) will conduct a sweep of the incident area to determine the type and level of contamination present. The contaminated area is then cordoned off if possible, and entry control points are established. Based on the input from the CST, the decontamination element develops a decontamination action plan and determines the correct procedures and materials for the decontamination process.
The decontamination lines are set up at the entry control points, leading from the contaminated area, or "hot zone" to the redress area in the clean area, or "cold zone" insuring that no contamination is spread outside the existing "hot zone." Patients are processed through the decontamination line and into the redress area. Injured patients are processed under the supervision of medical personnel to insure that they are adequately decontaminated without sustaining further injury.
The decontamination element commander directs the operations of the team, verifying the decontamination solutions and procedures, and communicates their activities to the CERFP commander.
NG CERFP Medical Element
Mission: To provide sophisticated and short duration, pre-hospital emergency medical treatment during a CBRNE response mission at rescue sites. Specifically, the team works with decontamination and/or casualty extraction teams to provide emergency medical triage, treatment, and stabilization prior to evacuation.
Overview: Victims with serious injuries and illnesses may be encountered and will require treatment. Medical personnel are also responsible for minimizing health risks, assisting in the identification of military personnel displaying symptoms of critical incident stress syndrome or other negative health effects, and emergency treatment of hazardous materials exposure for National Guard Task Force personnel.
The medical element may work in coordination with the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) under the auspices of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). The assignment and capabilities of the DMATs are described in the National Response Plan.
In a real world event, the medical element must be prepared to respond to a wide range of issues including physical injury caused by blast effect and collapsing structures, stress related issues, radiation exposure and radiological, chemical, or biological contamination. The victims must be thoroughly decontaminated, examined and treated as effectively as possible before moving them on to permanent medical facilities.
The medical element commander directs the operations of the team, ensuring adequate rest periods are observed, and communicates their activities and concerns to the CERFP commander.