CFB Borden to host mass casualty exercise

FRONTLINE IN THE NEWS

Civilian and military first responders from Simcoe County will converge on Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden on Sunday, May 1, 2016, to participate in a joint mass casualty exercise as part of Exercise STOP, DROP AND ROLL, a simulated response to an air show accident.

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel from various CFB Borden units will join over 30 volunteer medical first responders from St. John Ambulance Barrie Simcoe Muskoka, County of Simcoe Paramedic Services, and Emergency Management Ontario staff to work through a simulated mass casualty scenario.

“CFB Borden personnel are thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside key emergency services stakeholders in such a critical exercise," said Brigadier-General Carl Doyon, Commander CFB Borden/Military Personnel Generation Training Group. "This is a perfect opportunity to share common practices and to ‘train as we fight’ through the rehearsal of our emergency practices and procedures, in advance of this year’s Canadian Armed Forces Day and Air Show.”

Elements of the exercise include triage (determining the severity of injuries and required treatment), extraction (removing casualties from unsafe areas), treatment (providing basic and advanced first aid to save a life, prevent further injury, and provide comfort until emergency services arrive), and transportation (preparing a patient to be transported by emergency services).

The goal of the exercise is for local emergency services personnel and the CAF to practice working in partnership to provide basic and advanced first aid in the aftermath of a large-scale natural disaster or accident.

“St. John Ambulance is grateful to CFB Borden and its first responders for this fantastic opportunity to practice our medical skills in a mock disaster scenario," said Bill Sergeant, Chairman of the Board, St. John Ambulance Barrie Simcoe Muskoka Branch.
"An exercise of this magnitude allows everyone participating to hone skills that will benefit the greater Simcoe County, now and in the future.”

This year, CFB Borden is celebrating its centennial. As part of the celebrations, the base will hold the Canadian Armed Forces Day and Air Show on June 11 and 12, 2016. This exercise will be conducted to enhance partnerships and further the skills of the first responder agencies that will be working during the air show.