DVIDS – News – North Dakota National Guard State Partnership Program Earthquake Exercise

The North Dakota Nationwide Guard’s (NDNG) State Partnership Program (SPP) collaborated with the Ghana Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Group (NADMO) to conduct Lignite Coast 2022 Preparedness Train “Shikpon Wosomo”, an interagency earthquake response train. Scheduled from June 21 to 23, 2022, this was the most important bilateral train carried out by the NDNG SPP. The Ghanaian businesses included the Ghana Nationwide Hearth Service, Ghana Armed Forces (forty eighth Engineer Regiment), Nationwide Ambulance Service, Ghana Police Service, Nationwide Communications Authority, Ghana Well being Service, the Geological Survey Authority, and the Volta River Authority.

To arrange for the emergency response tactical workout routines, members of the NDNG together with the North Dakota Division of Emergency Companies traveled to Ghana to conduct per week of educational coaching specializing in Incident Command System rules and Emergency Operations Middle actions. These greatest practices assist help the Republic of Ghana and NADMO put together for an emergency response to a significant pure catastrophe like an earthquake. The 4 tactical workout routines carried out have been every triggered by an earthquake. Every of the primary responder businesses received an opportunity to be the lead company and serve within the position of Incident Commander as dictated by the state of affairs. The primary responders have been the Nationwide Ambulance Service, Nationwide Police Service, Nationwide Hearth Service, and the Ghana Armed Forces. The Incident Commander is accountable for coordinating all response actions and serves because the decision-maker throughout response operations.

The primary train passed off on the Tema Canoe Harbor, a closely used fishing harbor in Ghana, June 21, 2022. The state of affairs started after a notional earthquake injured a number of individuals on the harbor whereas different individuals on the scene have been panicking, speeding towards anybody who may render help. The Ghanaian businesses must collaborate to manage the panicked crowd, get well victims, and set up a casualty assortment level underneath the steerage of the incident commander from the Nationwide Ambulance Service. This train additionally featured the notional launch of doubtless hazardous supplies, permitting decontamination procedures to be exercised. After the Ghana Police Service set up a fringe to assist management the group, the Ghana Nationwide Hearth Service and the Nationwide Ambulance Service recovered and stabilized the simulated casualties, shifting them to a decontamination space after which on to the casualty assortment level. From there, the Nationwide Ambulance Service may safely triage the injured, present help and transfer victims into ambulances as wanted.

The second train was carried out at a fish market close to Tema Canoe Harbor, June 21, 2022. On this state of affairs, a bunch of individuals staged a disruption that blocked the Nationwide Ambulance Service from getting into the fish market to offer medical help to the earthquake victims inside. For this train, the Ghana Police Service functioned because the Incident Commander, offering oversight, safety, and management of the scenario. After the disturbance broke out, the Ghana Police Service moved the extra aggressive members away from the fish market. In response, the unruly crowd surged towards the ambulances and commenced to rock them; the actors pretending to try to tip them over. The Ghana Police Service introduced out their K9 unit and riot shields and have been ready to make use of them to maneuver the group away from the Nationwide Ambulance Service. The primary responders may then transfer in, gather the injured, and transfer them to the casualty assortment level.

On June 22, 2022, the third train passed off on the N1 Freeway, also referred to as the George W. Bush Freeway, one of many busiest motorways within the nation. On this state of affairs, a truck carrying hazardous materials broke down on the freeway through the earthquake, inflicting an accident leading to a number of victims. Visitors was rerouted off of the freeway to clear the realm. Due to the hazardous materials risk, the Ghana Nationwide Hearth Service supplied the Incident Commander, working with the opposite businesses to make sure the protection of the primary responders. Through the chaos, a bunch of volunteers rushed to the automobile to steal the fuel that was pouring out (changed with water for the train). The Ghana Police Service labored to stop them from stealing the simulated gas, interfering with first responders, and from harming themselves.

The ultimate train was a search and rescue state of affairs in a rubble pile because of a simulated earthquake, June 23, 2022. The Ghana Armed Forces served because the Incident Commander for this engagement, wherein a big crowd of panicked bystanders prevented first responders from having the ability to correctly find, triage, and take care of the victims. Lots of the victims within the state of affairs have been additionally notionally trapped underneath the rubble and wanted heavy tools to free them. The Ghana Armed Forces assisted the Ghana Police Service in controlling the massive crowd and likewise introduced search and rescue canine to help the primary responders in finding the victims.

The NDNG and Ghana have formally labored collectively since 2004 underneath the SPP, including partnerships with Ghana’s neighbors, Togo and Benin in 2014. These partnerships permit the U.S. to keep up robust relationships with different nations and supplies NDNG Troopers and Airmen with possibilities to cross-train with their overseas counterparts and in a wide range of coaching alternatives.