WASHINGTON –
The D.C. National Guard (DCNG) offered a first-of-its-kind training exercise designed to strengthen emergency medical response in hazardous environments.
The simulation brought together members of the Guard’s 33rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (WMD-CST), as well as area medical students and physicians, for a morning of intensive drills at a state-of-the-art simulation facility.
Kaytlin Hack, MD, an emergency physician and U.S. Army Major in the District of Columbia National Guard who designed the exercise, said the training was meant to mirror the toughest scenarios Guard medics could face.
“Our survey teams go into contaminated zones. If one of them gets hurt, we need to be ready to move fast in tough conditions,” Hack said. “These simulations let us practice with the same urgency and equipment we’d use in real life.”
The simulation was hosted at the MedStar Health Simulation Training & Education Lab (SiTEL) Clinical Simulation Center in Northwest.
Nationally recognized for its simulation-based education and clinical expertise, SiTEL delivers cutting-edge training programs, including high-fidelity simulation.
For the joint training exercise, one scenario included a simulation mannequin involved in a motor vehicle crash with an electric car fire. The scenario served as a modern challenge that can produce toxic hydrogen fluoride gas in addition to traumatic injuries.
“It’s not just trauma care anymore,” explained Hack. “We have to be prepared to spot and treat hidden dangers like chemical exposure and cardiac complications that can come with the modern risks of new technology.”
“By combining advanced mannequins with our Guard equipment, we created a realistic environment to sharpen our skills,” she added.
The civil-military exercise wasn’t only about medical skills, it was also about strengthening broader readiness. “When a real-world hazmat event happens, the Guard won’t be working alone,” she said. “We’ll be working with local first responders, hospitals, and public health. Training together now means we’ll be ready to act together later.”
The 33rd WMD-CST supports civil authorities in domestic Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear high-yield Explosives (CBRNE) incidents. The unit can also provide immediate response for intentional and unintentional CBRNE or hazardous material (HAZMAT) releases and natural or manmade disasters that result in, or could result in, catastrophic loss of life or property.
As Hack summarized, “This training makes our unit stronger. And it helps protect the entire community we serve.”