Alabama Guardsmen selected to form a specialized recovery team

MONTGOMERY, AL (02/09/2011)(readMedia)-- The premier response force for defense support for civilian authorities for the state of Alabama is what government leaders are calling the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERF-P). There are currently only sixteen other states that have this specialized group of emergency responders; Alabama makes seventeen. The units selected for this mission include the 145th Chemical Battalion, Centreville, Ala.; the 440th Chemical Company, Vincent and Clanton, Ala.; the 690th Chemical Company, Mobile, Ala.; the 187th Fighter Wing, Montgomery, Ala.; and the 117 Air Refueling Wing, Montgomery, Ala. These units were selected due to their specialized nature and training in chemical and medical operations.

These specialized teams will receive extensive training in search and extraction, mass causality decontamination and medical treatment during a natural or manmade disaster. Training will take place in various locations around the country over a period of about eight months. These courses will prepare these Soldiers and Airmen to overcome a number of obstacles they may face during their missions. They are able to support any state or territory within the United States. If a disaster occurs, the CERF-P team mobilizes within a specified window of time upon alert.

"I am really looking forward to this training and am glad to accept this mission," said Capt. Robert O'Brien, Alabama CERF-P Operations Officer. "The fact that Alabama has been selected for this training and that I get to use my knowledge as a Chemical Operations Officer is awesome." Currently there are approximately 200 members of the Alabama Army Guard and Air Guard collectively training for the elite team. The CERF-P team is one of two joint training operations in the state. "I am proud to be able to work alongside the Air Guard," said O'Brien. The training process will culminate with a five-day validation and certification process done by the Joint Interagency Training and Education Center (JITEC), a division of homeland security. The validation process will take place sometime in September, at which point the unit will be fully mission ready.