Florida’s second civil support team passes initial evaluation

By Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa
Florida National Guard

Sgt. Matt Mitchell of the Florida National Guard's 48th Civil Support Team prepares equipment to take chemical samples during a weapons of mass destruction evaluation in Brooksville, Fla., Dec. 16, 2010. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa)
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BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (12/17/10) – The National Guard’s newest civil support team passed its first evaluation this week, bringing it one step closer to being Florida’s second fully accredited team able to respond to weapons of mass destruction incidents.

The 48th Civil Support Team, based in Clearwater, Fla., was evaluated Dec. 16 by specialists from U.S. Northern Command during a day-long exercise at a Florida National Guard aviation facility in Brooksville on Florida’s west coast.

The 22-person team is composed of full-time Soldiers and Airmen, and is designed to assist emergency first-responders during incidents involving chemical, biological or radiological threats.

According to 48th CST commander, Army Lt. Col. Joseph DeFee, the Dec. 16 evaluation was his unit’s first real chance to prove that it was ready for full-accreditation by the Department of Defense.

 If the 48th CST is certified as a fully mission capable civil support team, it would be the 57th such team in the nation and the second in Florida.

“Other than a real-world response, this is probably the most important exercise we’ll have,” DeFee said while watching his team members prepare for the evaluation.

The scenario had enough realism to keep the participants on their toes, he said .

A small airplane was seen flying over Brooksville dispersing liquid, and after people under the flight path started getting sick the police tracked the plane down to local airstrip. When the first responders found suspicious chemicals and materials near the plane, they called in the Florida National Guard’s 48th CST.

Using a military C-23 Sherpa to simulate the chemical-laden plane, the evaluation team scrutinized the 48th members throughout the day as they scanned the area for chemical, biological and radiological agents. The team then took samples and tried to determine what toxins had been spread from the plane.

Lead evaluator Ronald Jones, deputy director of Civil Support Readiness Group-East for U.S. Army North, explained that the scenario was kept as realistic as possible to ensure the Guardsmen know their jobs.

 “The only part that is somewhat artificial is that we test their capability to detect chemical and biological and radiological hazards, which you probably wouldn’t see a terrorist use all at one time,” Jones said. “But that’s because we want to make sure all of their detection gear works and they have the ability to use it.”

“The public can be assured that the National Guard is prepared,” he added.

The 48th CST was created in February 2010, but not all of the team members are new to the civil support team concept: three of its current members – including the commander DeFee – came from its sister unit the 44th CST based in North Florida, and two other members came from CST units in New York and Arizona.

DeFee said that once his unit gets official certification from the Department of Defense, it will be on 24-7 alert for emergencies. He also said it is important to have two civil support teams in Florida because it will cut response times to incidents and provide more people for missions.

“Historically the Guard has been here to protect the citizens of Florida, and they need to know the Guard is here to respond to any future threats,” DeFee said. “Considering (the Adjutant General of Florida) Maj. Gen. Titshaw’s philosophy of ‘Linking our Heritage to our Horizons,’ we will continue that heritage of protection against any threats.”

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