MDNG Soldiers, Airmen conduct joint search and rescue training

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1525863080161{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”]^{Article by Sgt. Devon Bistarkey, 29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment}[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1525878615139{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, Md. — Breaking, drilling and hammering away at a resilient pile of concrete in an effort to save lives, a team of Maryland National Guard Soldiers and Airmen work together to conduct simulated urban search and rescue operations at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy in Montgomery Village on May 8.

The joint training, a part of the statewide disaster relief exercise Vigilant Guard 2018, validates the Maryland Guard’s search and rescue capabilities.

“We’re here to bring victims out safely,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kyle Trengo, a crew chief with the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron.

Piles of engineered concrete simulate a collapsed building where service members worked to clear and extract dummies using a variety of techniques. Army engineers from companies around the state gained experience from Airmen from the 175th Civil Engineer Squadron.

“Army engineers have their own capabilities, but here they are getting to integrate and get some tool time as we show them the ropes,” said Air Force Tech Sgt. Sean Murphy, a team leader from the 175th CEF.

Tactics of breaching and breaking away concrete structures came as new skills for the Army engineers, who took turns chiseling and drilling away at the pile.

“This is tedious, dirty, hard work — but what we are doing is a lot of calculated efforts to ensure safe stable passes for extraction, called shoring,” said Murphy.

In addition to shoring, squads create crib stacks to secure failing elements of the structure. Working with the heavy compound, which weighs 150 lbs per square foot, makes load calculations a critical part of ensuring safety.

As a Federal Emergency Management Agency qualified rescue specialist squadron, the Air Guard team here is able to integrate with other federal agencies. Working together with the Army during this training further strengthens the state’s ability to respond in an emergency.

“We’re here to help in any domestic operation, and by integrating Army skills, we are that much more capable,” said Murphy.[/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”View photo gallery from exercise”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]