Little Rock participates in multi-agency mass casualty response exercise Published April 2, 2025 By Senior Airman Isabella Ortega 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The Federal Coordinating Center conducted a large-scale mass casualty response exercise at the Clinton National Airport, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The FCC exercise involved multiple agencies, including the 19th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 189th Airlift Wing, 165th Airlift Wing, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Natural Disaster Medical System, Metro Emergency Management Services, Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare Systems and the Emergency Medical Response Team. This exercise is conducted once every three years to ensure joint readiness capabilities with community partners in the event of a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis. By simulating a mass casualty incident involving the offloading of approximately 23 patients, the exercise also provided valuable insights into logistical challenges, patient flow management and resource allocation in large-scale emergencies. Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Personnel offload a simulated critical patient during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) system instructs to prioritize the care of critical patients first, followed by priority patients then routine patients in the event of a mass casualty incident. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response U.S. Air Force Capt. Drew Ferguson, 19th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron clinical nurse, waits to offload patients during a mass casualty response exercise at the Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The multi-agency exercise occurs once every three years to ensure joint readiness capabilities with community partners in the event of a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare Systems (CAVHS) members analyze patient information in a simulated hospital setting at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. A multidisciplinary medical team triages and cares for evacuated patients in the event of a mass casualty incident. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Members from the 165th Airlift Wing and Emergency Response Medical Team offload a simulated critical patient at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The multi-agency exercise allowed collaboration among community partners to simulate the evacuation and medical care of a disaster affected population. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency personnel offload a simulated critical patient from a C-130J Super Hercules for during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The Aeromedical Evacuation system provided combatant and Joint Force commanders with ability to ensure injured personnel receive timely and lifesaving care during a mass casualty event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Volunteers are escorted from a C-130J Super Hercules to a simulated hospital setting during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. By simulating a mass casualty incident involving the offloading of approximately 23 patients, the exercise provided valuable insights into logistical challenges, patient flow management and resource allocation in large-scale emergencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response A Metro Emergency Management Services (MEMS) member transports a patient during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. MEMS was one of many agencies participating in the exercise simulating the evacuation and medical care of patients from a mass casualty event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Metro Emergency Management Services (MEMS) members care for a patient during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. Medical administrators and other ground personnel coordinated to ensure they have the equipment and information needed to safely care for patients during transport. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency personnel prepare to transport a patient to a simulated hospital setting during a mass casualty response exercise at Clinton National Airport, Little Rock in Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The multi-agency exercise allowed collaboration among community partners to simulate the evacuation and medical care of a disaster affected population. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response A C-130J Super Hercules from the 165th Airlift Wing lands at the Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 25, 2025. The 165th AW participated among various agencies in the exercise simulating the evacuation and medical care of patients from a mass casualty event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res SLIDESHOW | images | Multi-agency FCC exercise simulates mass casualty response “It’s a great way to build relationships with the local community and try to exercise capabilities,” said Maj. Katie Levernz, 19th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron clinical nurse. “This capability, specifically for Little Rock, is vastly important in case there’s a natural disaster somewhere and we need to move patients so that they can still be taken care of.” The aeromedical evacuation system allows combatants and Joint Force commanders to ensure injured civilians and personnel receive important lifesaving care. “We do it in the safest manner possible,” Levernz explained. “You take all the critical patients off first, then the priority patients, then the routine patients.” A key element in this exercise involved the communication and teamwork across multiple agencies for coordinated patient transport. Multi-platform AE crewmembers coordinate a full spectrum of support in coordination with communications personnel, medical administrators, logistics members and other ground personnel to ensure aircrews have the equipment and information needed to safely care for patients during transport. “We have litter carriers and a multidisciplinary clinical team that takes the patients and the information from the air crew, then does the patient tracking and triage and treatment.” said Bill Young, Veteran’s Health Administration Office of Emergency Management area emergency manager. “What’s critical about this is to bring all these parties together to be able to confirm the processes that are established, see what needs to be corrected, then put that into future planning.” AE operates around the globe to support military operations, provide humanitarian assistance and respond to both man-made and natural disasters. “It takes a lot,” said Young. “It takes the right people and the right training. I’m just incredibly thankful for all the participants.” The exercise demonstrated the vital role that interagency collaboration and communication play in disaster preparedness; it is critical for response systems to be agile, adaptable and capable of handling the complex needs of affected populations. Through realistic simulations and rigorous testing, the exercise ensured that all involved parties are ready to respond effectively to large-scale emergencies.