Gathered in a ballroom-sized space Friday, 157 members of 47 tribal nations from 18 states stood and bowed their heads while Clarence Rolin sang.
Rolin, a tribal elder of the Poarch Band Creek of Indians, sang a hymn in Creek before he gave a prayer via video. It was the first time a hymn had been sung during the closing ceremony for a training group at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, said Wendi Feazell, public affairs assistant for the center.
It was also the first time the center has held a training week specially tailored for tribal law enforcement, medical and communications teams. Dave Hall, the western region tribal coordinator for the center, said it was about a 14-month process to see the idea through.
“We have hosted some tribal-specific courses, but based on feedback, we reached out and put together a week just for them,” he said Friday.
Originally, more than 200 participants were signed up for the training, Hall said.
“For various reasons about 76 of them were not able to attend,” he said. “So we know the demand is out there and will definitely be planning to have more.”
Due to the often rural and expansive nature of tribal nations, the training had to be tweaked and modified to suit the participants’ needs, said Mike King, superintendent of the center.
“We teach the response to the event,” King said standing in front of one of the simulated exercises. “In a rural environment they might not have the number of responders that an event in an urban environment might have. Their equipment might not be as advanced. Sometimes they have to get creative, and we try to teach them how to think outside of the box in critical situations like this.”
The 157 participants were split into different groups, and trained throughout the week to accomplish tasks specific to that group. One group responded to the simulated earthquake, pulling mannequins from a street scene and helping actors covered in fake blood go through decontamination.
Another group intercepted patients as they arrived at the hospital, while a team inside worked to get patients to beds in the emergency room. A public information team gathered facts and released information via simulated social media platforms.
For April Sells, the Poarch Creek Tribal Fire and Emergency Management Agency Director, the training was a little overwhelming and pushed her outside of her comfort zone, she said.
“I was on the public information team and I have a newfound respect for that field,” she said.
Sells along with Chris McGhee, Creek fire training officer and inspector, said while the exercises were challenging, they were valuable.
“We needed to be taxed to be reminded of that training we have but not used in a while,” Sells said.
“This has definitely spurred some thoughts and ideas for things we need to utilize back home,” McGhee said.
The instant command training, taught for disaster response, is designed to be expandable, Sells said.
“The purpose of the training is to teach us how to make sense of a chaotic situation whether that is in a big city or small town,” she said. “As a reservation, we experience the same things that small cities might.”
Sells said there already has been conversation about who will be the next of the 24-person fire department to undergo the training.
“Whenever they open the next training, our people will get signed up,” she said.
Staff writer Kirsten Fiscus: 256-235-3563. On Twitter @kfiscus_star.
