By MC2 Preston Jarrett
The security department, emergency services and installation training team aboard NSA Mid-South conducted an active-shooter drill Nov. 2.
Planning for the drill began Oct. 13 once the base’s installation training team was first granted permission to use the designated training site.
“For each drill, I try to obtain a different training site to ensure that our naval security forces and their mutual aid partners are able to work on approaches to different buildings and tactical movements,” said Lane Jones, installation training officer for NSA Mid-South. “It also provides training for fire and emergency services and their mutual aid partners in support of rendering aid to injured personnel and having to maneuver through buildings with unique floor plans.”
Dexter Allen, security director of NSA Mid-South, said that regular drilling is needed to keep base security forces ready to combat a potential threat.
“In order for our security forces to perform at the top of their game, we must routinely exercise the skills they need when responding to a crisis,” said Allen. “Training drills, like the one we had, provide our team a safe environment for them to develop their skills and grow their knowledge about emergency response situations.”
Jones said that another goal of these drills is to accomplish specific objectives, which are set by the installation training team.
“The drills consist of reviewing and updating already established pre-planned responses, standard operating procedures and emergency action plans,” said Jones. “For this drill, we knew that each building on and off the installation is different, and we wanted to take into consideration how to approach each building and set perimeters. We excelled in our naval security forces, fire and emergency services being able to work well together with their mutual aid partners.”
Jones said that tenant commands aboard the installation are welcome to volunteer to be used as a training site for future exercises.
“They just have to ensure it’s approved by a senior member in charge of the building,” said Jones. “Pre-planning meetings are always welcome to discuss and address questions personnel from the training site may have. For this drill, we started shooting blanks from an M-14 rifle to give the drill a real life sound of gun fire within the building, so addressing concerns like this is very important beforehand.”
Base residents and workers can plan ahead for Citadel Shield and Solid Curtain in coming months.
“Citadel Shield runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4,” said Jones. “During this week, you can expect the base to be put in lockdown and temporary closure of ECPs (entry control points), which will lead to longer wait times. For Solid Curtain from Feb. 7 to Feb. 11, you can expect longer wait times at the ECPs due to FPCON (Force Protection Condition Level) changes.”
