Brooklyn-based Guard WMD Unit Goes Through Validation Exercise

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Capt. Robert Miron and Staff Sgt. Brendan Dunfee move through the "Hot Zone", an abandoned aircraft hanger during 2009 training in Orkiskany, NY .

NEW YORK, NY (06/07/2010)(readMedia)-- A New York National Guard unit that can detect weapons of mass destruction and will be dedicated to the New York City area will undergo its final pre-certification evaluation on Tuesday, June 8.

WHAT: A unique 22-member National Guard unit undergoes the final evaluation of its abilities to respond to terror attacks at home. Passing this evaluation means the unit is fully operational.

WHO: The 24th Civil Support Team for Weapons of Mass Destruction based at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn

WHERE: Fire Department New York Fire Training Academy at Randalls Island, New York City

WHEN: Tuesday, June 8 (Best time for visual coverage opportunities is between 9 and 11 a.m.)

News organizations are invited to cover the exercise and interview participants. Photo opportunities will include National Guard members donning Level A protective suits and inspecting targeted buildings for possible contamination, taking samples, undergoing decontamination and coordinating with civil authorities.

Background:

The New York National Guard has two Civil Support Teams assigned to its force. The 2nd CST based in Scotia, NY (near Albany) and the 24th CST dedicated to cover New York City based at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. Civil Support Teams are specialized units comprised of 22 full time Army and Air National Guard professionals uniquely trained and equipped to respond to possible terrorist attacks or other events where chemical, biological, radiological or high yield explosive agents may have been used. On order, these units rapidly mobilize and deploy to communities to work for the civil authorities and for the civilian Incident Commander to detect the presence of contamination, identify it and assist with follow on support.

The 24th CST has been training since 2007 for this evaluation when it was first formed. In addition to training together, unit members also had to complete demanding service schools at various military bases in order to be certified for their specialties.

The Civil Support Team Program was initiated in 1998 in response to federal legislation designed to help prepare the nation for possible terrorist attacks that could involve the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The New York National Guard played a significant role in developing it. New York was among the ten charter states that initially fielded a unit that was validated for emergency response in 2000. New York's 2nd CST was the first to respond to an actual terrorist attack when it was deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Since that time, the CST program has grown such that there is a team in every state across the nation thus providing local support for possible terrorist attacks or industrial accidents with highly trained staff and state of the art capabilities. CSTs routinely conduct joint exercises with civilian fire departments and emergency response agencies. In New York, members of CSTs are often pro-actively positioned with federal, state and local security and emergency response agencies for large public events that could become terrorist targets.

CSTs are periodically tested on their abilities to perform their mission by the U.S. Army and civilian emergency response agencies are also involved in the test. The New York City Fire Department is supporting the exercise for the New York team on June 8. The exercise occurs at the FDNY Fire Training Academy on Randall's Island in New York City. The 27-acre waterfront facility has nine buildings including both classrooms and hands-on training with simulated fires and smoke structures.

Two days later the New Jersey National Guard's 21st CST will undergo the same test at the same location.

Interested news organizations are urged to contact the DMNA public affairs office for additional information and to sign up for coverage opportunities for June 8. POC is Lt. Col. Paul Fanning at (518) 786-4518 office and (518) 441-4106 mobile.