Eagle BELVOIR
Winter-ready: Salt the roads, not the rivers, Pages A8 and A9
www.belvoireagleonline.com
November 16, 2017
DLA exercise helps first responders hone active-shooter response By John Bell DLA Public Affairs Only weeks after mass shootings at a concert in Las Vegas and at a small-town church in South Texas, the Fort Belvoir workforce should know local first responders are honing their skills responding to active shooters, as they in did in an active-shooter exercise at the Defense Logistics Agency complex on Belvoir’s North Post and at a DLA facility in nearby Lorton. The lifelike scenario involved simulated gunmen at each facility. In each instance, first responders neutralized the threat, secured the area and made sure employees sheltered in place, as directed. Such exercises, held annually at the headquarters complex, help first responders hone their response time, ensure they communicate effectively and address any overlooked vulnerabilities. The simulations also help employees rehearse what they will do in a real event. Before the exercise, James Johnston, DLA’s antiterrorism officer for the headquarters complex, reviewed the cast of volunteer “victims” assembled near the main entrance. “Earn your Academy Award,” he urged the volunteer actors. “Make it believable for the responders. This is real-world to them.” In the scenario, a white van careened to the entrance of the headquarters complex building. A “shooter” in a ski mask emerged with a simulated rifle and left a bag next to the rear tire. A group of ‘victims’ near the entrance never noticed him.
Air Force Master Sgt. Joseph Braswell, of the Air Force Petroleum Office, lies in character as the ‘shooter’ after being neutralized during an active-shooter exercise last week at DLA on Fort Belvoir.
DLA photos by Teodora Mocanu
During an active-shooter exercise last week at the McNamara Headquarters Complex on Fort Belvoir, DLA Police Sgt. Leon Gregory, left, aims at volunteer ‘shooter’ Air Force Master Sgt. Joseph Braswell. Next the “shooter,” played by Air Force Master Sgt. Joe Braswell of the Air Force Petroleum Office, yelled menacingly as he aimed his simulated rifle at the volunteer “victims.” Several loud pops (from a cap gun) filled the air as he fired, and the volunteers fell to the ground. Less than a minute later, the “shooter” was dead — shot at close range by DLA Police Sgt. Leon Gregory, using a stand-in for his service weapon. All police officers used non-firing, simulated weapons for the exercise. But it was far from over, as they investigated a backpack and concluded it contained a possible explosive. The incident command contacted the Army’s 55th Explosive Ordnance Division, who sent a robot and an EOD technician to defuse the device. An engine and ambulance from the Fort Belvoir Fire Department arrived to provide support, as did personnel from Belvoir Police Department. The first responders tended to the dead and injured who were on the concrete with realistic “wounds.” To add realism, some were screaming or complaining. Firefighters also play a critical role along with their law-enforcement brethren in exercises and real-world scenarios. Firefighters may be needed to help respond to
an explosive or incendiary device. For this reason and to ensure they’re not mistaken for police officers, they wear their full set of equipment — including coats and helmets — to every response. Planning an exercise like this begins six months in advance, Johnston noted, and requires coordination with the Fort Belvoir Fire Department; Belvoir’s military police; the Fairfax County and Virginia State police departments; the 55th EOD; and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. In this exercise, the public announcement instructed all personnel to shelter in place rather than attempt to escape, or use the mantra, Run, Hide, Fight. The DLA Police officer who took down the shooter offered his thoughts to those who played the victims. “Our primary job is not to help you,” Gregory noted. “It’s to deal with the threat and secure the area.” As much as everyone hopes they will never be part of a real situation like this, it’s important to plan for it, he said. “No matter where you go, have a plan,” he urged the group. “Make sure everyone in your family knows. ‘This is what we do. This is where we meet if we’re separated.’” Having and sharing a plan before an incident happens is a must, Gregory said. “It may seem tedious, but it will save your life.”
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