Determined Promise 2004

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Operation Determined Promise is a multi-level major exercise to test the ability to respond to multiple, simultaneous homeland defense and federal relief events. This years scenario is designed around events in California and Virginia. This photo essay focuses on one of the events in Simi Valley, California.

The scenario for this exercise was a train that derailed into a Boy Scout Camp. Some of the rail cars contained hazardous materials. To make matters worse another rail car was transporting military weapons including grenades, mortars and stinger missiles; two of which were missing. It was later discovered that one of the rail cars had a bomb on board which was linked to yesterday’s (August 5th) container explosion in the San Pedro event.

Links of Interest

Center for Asymmetric Warefare

United States Joint Forces Command

Ventura County Fire Department

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Simi Valley Police Department

Ventura County Star Article


Pre-Drill Briefing	Derailed cargo container

Firefighter 42 Firefighter 42 was the first on-scene at the train derailment. He reported at least three patients and rail road tankers with no visible placards.	CERT/DSW Member This is a Simi Valley CERT/DSW. While the platoon did not participate in the exercise, we are trained in triage with many members being EMTs or RNs.

CERT/DSW Member Simi Valley CERT/DSW Member poses for a photo with the burning wreckage.	Burning wreckage Smoke machines inside two of the simulated rail cars provided realism to the exercise.

Minor Triage Area The green tarp is used to place victims with minor wounds.	Transporting patient Firefighters used several types of carrys including this backboard carry.

Packaging Firefighters prepare a victim for transport, making sure that bleeding is stopped and breathing is started.	Mass-casualty This was a mass-casualty incident, officially called the railroad incident. The train derailed into a Boy Scout Camp injuring over 30 people.

Simi Valley CERT/DSW The CERT/DSW Platoon didn’t play in this exercise but we were responsible for many of the behind the scenes details like setting up the scene and providing logistics support.	Triage With so many victims the firefighters rely on triage training to provide the most good in a bad situation. Patients are stabilized and tagged with color coded tags displaying the seriousness of their condition.