State Guard conducts advanced disaster training
January 25, 2013
by Keith Pounds
COLUMBIA – In the wake of the devastation and tragedy caused by Hurricane Sandy in the northeast and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, about 50 members of the S.C. State Guard – the state’s all-volunteer state defense force – participated in advanced emergency management training at the Olympia Armory in Columbia, Jan. 19 and 20.
The two-day training was part of a series of courses in compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training Program critical to train emergency and incident response personnel in the concepts and principles of emergency management.
As the tempo of operations for the State Guard continues to increase, our capacity as a force multiplier for the S.C. National Guard requires that we expand our training beyond that of just military training, said Col. Chuck Shields, of Columbia, Commandant of the S.C. State Guard Military Academy.
State Guard members were introduced to the Incident Command System (ICS), a management tool which allows varying agencies and departments who don’t usually work together, or even know each other, to seamlessly respond to and recover from a disaster, either natural or man-made.
This past weekend’s training was specifically designed for personnel who require advanced application of the ICS and will help the State Guard work closely with all emergency services related disciplines such as EMS, hospitals, public health, fire service, law enforcement, public works/utilities, skilled support personnel and other emergency management response, support and volunteer personnel.
Both NIMS and ICS training recognize that all incidents begin and end locally. While federal programs may provide the framework to enhance the ability of responders to work together efficiently, they do not take command away from state and local authorities.
This training helps us to interact with our civilian counterparts and have a mutual understanding of the policies and procedures for recovery during a disaster, Shields said.
The S.C. State Guard traces its lineage back to the early state militia of 1670 and is today an all volunteer state defense force component of the S.C. Military Department, which also includes the S.C. Army National Guard, the S.C. Air National Guard, the S.C. Emergency Management Division and other elements.
