Med Group Trains for IPPD 2013

U.S. Air Force Airmen receive instruction on shelter preparation during the In-Place Patient Decontamination Exercise on Hurlburt Field, Fla. March 21, 2013. Temporary decontamination shelters are usually set up in hazardous situations to care for contaminated patients. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Nigel L Sandridge)

Med Group Trains for IPPD 2013

U.S. Air Force Airmen race to put on contamination zone gear as fast as possible during the In-Place Patient Decontamination Exercise on Hurlburt Field, Fla. March 21, 2013. Every valve must be checked on the suits be for departure to assure medical personnel stays contamination free. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Nigel L Sandridge)

Med Group Trains for IPPD 2013

U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Sean Winter, medical technician of 1st Special Operations Medical Operations Squadron, rolls up a hose used to fill temporary decontamination shelters with water during the In-Place Patient Decontamination Exercise on Hurlburt Field, Fla. March 21, 2013. The exercise is a tri-annual trainer training course that helps inform med group personnel on the proper protocol that comes in treating a patient in contaminated situations. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Nigel L Sandridge)

Med Group Trains for IPPD 2013

Published March 27, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge
1st Special Operations Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Hurlburt Field medical personnel from every field participated in the three-day In-Place Patient Decontamination Exercise March 19-21.

The exercise is a tri-annual trainer training course that helps inform med group personnel on the proper protocol that comes in treating a patient in contaminated situations.

"It helps us prepare for some sort of mass casualty, whether it be nuclear, chemical, radiological or biological warfare," said Master Sgt. Brian Spiekermann, chief of optometric services of 1st Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Squadron.

Along with classroom training, future trainers were also given hands on situations to tackle such as timed gear assembly and setting up and taking down a temporary shelter.

"Class experience was very hands on," said Senior Airman Sean Winter, medical technician of 1st Special Operations Medical Operations Squadron. "Training was really in-depth, and having all the teams we would need in a hazardous situation there made the operation much more capable."