Exercise tests new crisis response system Published July 18, 2007 By Senior Airman J. Paul Croxon 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- First responders, senior wing leaders and emergency operations center personnel came together recently to familiarize themselves with a federal emergency response system utilized by most federal, state and local agencies. The Air Force Incident Management System, currently being implemented across the service, gives the Air Force better interoperability between civilian and government emergency responders who have been using the system for years. The July 16 table-top exercise tested the wing's ability to respond to a terrorist attack with suspected chemical or biological weapons. "The premise of the exercise is to highlight processes or checklist items we need to look at or improve upon," said Lt. Col. Joe Williams, 319th Air Refueling Wing Inspector General. Under AFIMS, first responders direct and coordinate actions on-scene independent of higher level direction. It also empowers the on-scene commander to stand up the emergency operations center and the commander's senior staff, which are able to leverage specific, directed support to the problem. The exercise met its goal of highlighting problems expected with the migration to a new crisis response system, but AFIMS is here to stay. "Anything we do from now on will be done using the new AFIMS system," said Col. Diane Hull, 319th Air Refueling Wing commander, hinting toward an AFIMS field training exercise scheduled to kick off Aug. 21. No matter what the response system labels a unit or action, the wing's dedication to ensuring the safety and efficient response to emergency situations remains intact. "The bottom line is that we will do what ever it takes [to save the lives of Airmen and their families] regardless of verbiage," Colonel Hull said.