Guernsey County Commissioners Skip Gardner, Dave Saft and Dave Wilson were among those in attendance for a briefing Thursday morning (1/4/18) from the Ohio National Guard’s Homeland Response Force, the 73rd Troop Command “Talon Brigade”.
The briefing was presented in cooperation with the Guernsey County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The Agency’s Director, Gerry Beckner, introduced presenters Capt. Tyler Beatty, 1st Lt. John Immel and 1st Sgt. Tye Henry, who detailed the capabilities of their unit during a natural or man-made disaster.
The unit is trained and staffed for command and control; search and extraction; medical triage and treatment; decontamination; communications; and fatality search and discovery.
In addition, the unit can provide training to local first responders in a number of areas such as HAZMAT Operations; Advanced Trauma/Cardiac Life Support; Confined Space Entry Certification; and Swift Water/Trench Rescue Awareness among others.
Attendees also included Cambridge Police Chief Mark DeLancey and City Safety Director Rocky Hill as well as representatives from the Villages of Cumberland and Old Washington, Liberty Township, Southeastern Med, United Ambulance, Lore City Volunteer Fire Department and the Guernsey County Senior Citizens Center.
The Homeland Response Force serves the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region V, which includes Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The briefing was held inside the County Administration Building’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
