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Show Hilltop Times Dec. 7, 1995 - 7 It takes all kinds to j Cope with catastrophe ple report to Bldg. 133 is to appoint an commander. In the Nov. 28 accident he turned to Lt. Col. Mike Costel-lo- , who commands the 75th Operations Support Squadron. Costello is one of a people on base who have atcourse at Maxwell tended a week-lonlearn to be an to Ala., AFB, commander. Costello and a few key members of the DCG (medical, security and bioenvironmental specialists) hopped onboard the Dugway helicopter that dropped off the pilot and returned to the crash site. They were followed hours later by a convoy that included all the follow-o- experts and a special communineeded cations vehicle. Costello said normally when he arrives at a crash scene there will be local fire department and medical crews already there. In this case, the site was so re mote, it took the follow-o- n team hours to get there and there were no other response forces there. Costello's first concern at any site is to treat anyone injured and put out any fires. Then his team goes into the site itself and makes it safe for the follow-o- n investigation team. "We check for any unexploded ordnance and we test the air and water to see if there's any contaminants that could be a danger to health," he said. "If those are still present, then we'll treat those and clean them up." Costello said once the crash site is safe of anything hazardous to people, his group is pretty much done. Their job is then to preserve the area as an investigation site. In the event of an aircraft accident, they also try to locate and mark where the aircraft's flight data recorders are. "We attempt to locate these so that when the safety board comes we can. positively identify them and turn them over to the board," he said. "We don't remove them from the wreckage; the safety board does." Costello said his group treats each site "pretty much the same way as the police treat a crime scene we don't touch anything or move anything unless we have to in making the area safe for humans to go in," he said. "Everything associated with the crash becomes by TSgt. Barbara Fisher Ogden ALC Public Affairs on-sce- The words "We have one down!" set off an immediate chain reaction across Hill AFB. Phones begin ringing as calls are made to some 23 organizations alerting them to an emergency. The response is almost immediate as representatives from each of these organizations gather together emergency response kits and overnight bags and report to Bldg. 133, Hill's Command Post. Once there, these members of Hill's Disaster Control Group are ready to go to the scene of an emergency. That's what happened at 10:40 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28, when an Fighting Falcon assigned to the 4th Fighter Squadron crashed about 50 miles south of Dugway Proving Ground. Members of Hill's DCG, a peacetime disaster command, control and communications element, gathered at Bldg. 133 where information was slowly flowing in. The with its pilot, Capt. Chris had taken off from the base at Rappa, approximately 9:55 a.m., and had been on a training mission at the Utah Test and Training Range when the aircraft went down. Rappa safely ejected and was transported to Hill by a helicopter from Dugway. CoL Larry Wheeler, commander of the 75th Air Base Wing, or his representative heads Hill's DCG that during a peacetime disaster, like an aircraft crash, provides experts in everything, from medical, fire fighting, public affairs and explosive ordnance handling and control to security and bioenvironmental experts, who are ready to report This small group coordinates operations at the scene and any support requirements from Hill to handle the emergency. They also cooperate with local civil authorities and their response teams. Hill's DCG practices responding to exercises emergencies with quarterly, and once yearly participates with local community emergency forces in one of their exercises. Hill's team is ready to respond to any peacetime emergency from an aircraft incident or a chemical spill to a natural disaster like an earthquake. One of Wheeler's first jobs once peo F-1- F-1- on-sce- n ft Photo by SSgt. Rob Jensen, 84th Warming up before returning to the RADES crash site are MSgt. Michael Dimick (I), 75th Civil Engineering Squadron; and Capt. Paul Brandmire, 75th Air Base Wing. They are part of an advance group from Hill AFB that responded to the accident south of Dugway Proving Ground. Cause of the accident is being investigated. F-1- 6 on-sce- 6 . Children's party planned The 75th Mission Support Squadron is sponsoring a children's Christmas party Dec. 17, p.m., in the Thornton Community Center's ballroom, Bldg. 460. 3 Participants should bring a plate of Christmas goodies, and families who want Santa to give their children a gift should bring the gift to their unit's orderly room by 4 p.m. Dec. 15. For more information call MSgt. Jeff Ext. jr..- g 6 1-- -- s' half-doze- n on-scen- e. Comrie, I or Gift wrapping available Gift wrapping is available at the base exchange, Bldg. 430, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through sidered privileged and is not releasable to the public. The purpose of this board cident happened." is to determine cause without assigning Last week's emergency response made blame in an effort to prevent future the third incident Costello has respond- mishaps. ed to since becoming an comThe Safety Investigation Board conmander one turned out to be a false sists of a board president, who is a alarm involving a training missile found colonel from another unit, a safety in a pond. He said each site is unique and trained investigating officer, a pilot who this one was fairly easy because it was is an instructor pilot in the type of airso remote and there were "only a few craft being investigated, a maintenance coyotes and some jack rabbits that we officer with at least two years experience had to worry about disturbing the in the aircraft being investigated, a life scene." support officer, a flight surgeon, an Air He said he's never had to respond to Force Safety Agency representative, a an incident where there were fatalities safety board recorder and a wing comand he hopes he never has to. mander's representative. This board will "Each site is going to be unique," he complete its investigation in approxisaid. "You never need the entire disaster mately 30 days. control team, but you always need some The second investigation is an Accidifferand of each time need dent it you Investigation Board. The purpose part ent parts. It's hard to say who is going of this is to gather and preserve evidence for claims, litigation, disciplinary and adto go every time and who isn't." Costello said he also has an obligation verse administrative actions, and for all to give the public as much information other reasons than mishap prevention. as he can about the accident He normal- The results of this board becomes a publy does this through members of the lic document and are releasable. This news media, who often are on the scene board is convened by the numbered Air before the entire disaster control group. Force commander, in this case, 12th Air "We're generally as open and forward Force. with information as we can be," he said. The Accident Investigation Board con"The public certainly has a right to know sists of an investigating officer, not from what's going on with their taxpayer-paid-fo- r the unit being investigated, a technical assets." advisor, who can be medical, mainCostello's job ends at the site as soon tenance or operations, a legal advisor as the investigation board is in place. and an administrative aide. This board Two types of investigations occur. begins its investigation near the compleThe first, which is currently under tion of the safety board's and will comway, is a Safety Investigation Board. In- plete its investigation as expeditiously formation gathered by this board is con as possible generally within 30 days. evidence used by the safety investigation board to try and determine how the ac- on-sce- Dec. 11, and daily starting Dec. 24. Hours of 9 a.m-- p.m.; Sunoperation will be Monday-Saturdadays 10 a.m.-- p.m.; and Dec. 24 from 10 a.m.-- 4 p.m. Donations will be accepted, and proceeds will benefit the NCO and Officers Wives' Clubs scholarship fund. For more information call Mary Nell Costello, 15-D- ec 7 y, 6 771-352- 5. Unit patches sought The American Legion Post 9 is accepting donations of unit patches. Post 9 has one of the largest patch collections in Utah and it's on display at Post 9, 344 31st St., Ogden. For more information call Larry Miller, 399-107- 2, after 5 p.m. "Air Force people building the world's most respected Air and Space Force Hilltop Times Published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. 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