JTF Scott hosts first joint medical exercise Published April 9, 2008 By Senior Airman Brian Butkus 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Joint Total Force Scott and St. Clair County took part in the first emergency preparedness exercise between the base and local medical personnel March 18. The purpose of the exercise was to test the public health system's ability to distribute medications through the Strategic National Stockpile. "For the first collaboration between the local medical staff and Scott, this exercise went off virtually without a hitch," said Capt. Jarrett Jack, 375th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Public Heath chief of operations, and exercise point of contact. "By working jointly with the community we hope to better learn their processes, and when a situation arises where we need to work together in a real world emergency we can work hand-in-hand to remedy things." For Scott personnel the exercise tested the ability to receive medications from the SNS and set up a point of dispensing. "A POD is designed to rapidly distribute lifesaving medications, oral antibiotics and other medical supplies to large numbers of community members in event of a bioterrorist attack, large-scale disease outbreak or other public health emergency," said Barbara Whitaker, St. Clair County civilian on-site commander. Once an emergency is established such as the ones mentioned above, the federal government requires SNS medication to be dispensed within 48 hours of receipt. "In our area of responsibility we have in upwards of 254,000 people to account for if an emergency were to take place," she said. "By keeping Scott personnel up-to-date and trained in matters such as these, they are able to distribute medication to the base populace eliminating more than 30,000 people from our area of responsibility." The exercise didn't just include medical personnel. The help of many other units was needed to ensure things were a success. "Coming into this exercise, the overall goal was to be able to dispense medications to critical personnel as soon as possible," said Captain Jack. "Critical personnel include but are not limited to the security forces, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and hospital and public health personnel and their families. By administering medications to these personnel and their families first, they will then assist with dispensing clinics for the base populace and other emergency services staff members." According to JTF Scott and local medical officials this is the first of many exercises to come between the two organizations.