CONTACT: Eric Durr: (518) 786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Jun 17, 2007

ON SITE: Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg (518) 225-3893

WHO:

27th Brigade Combat Team Soldiers and engineers operate alongside medical response personnel of the N.Y. Air National Guard and members of the N.Y. Guard all-volunteer force. More than 250 members of New York State's Military Forces participate in the CERFP task force.

WHAT:

Members of the N.Y. National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) complete their training and preparations for mission support to the state's emergency responders during validation training and certification.

WHEN:

Sunday, June 17, 2007. Media linkup is 9 a.m. Expected return is approx. 2 p.m.

WHERE:

Fort Drum, N.Y. Media Operations Center, Building S-2509, Route 26.

The N.Y. National Guard CERFP provides immediate response capability to the governor for incident site search capability of damaged buildings, rescuing trapped casualties, providing decontamination, and performing medical triage and initial treatment to stabilize patients for transport to medical facilities all in direct support of civilian emergency responders. The CERFP is comprised of four elements staffed by personnel from already established National Guard units. These elements include: search and extraction, decontamination, medical, and command and control. The command and control team directs the overall activities of the CERFP, and coordinates with the N.Y. National Guard supporting Joint Task Force and the local incident commander. The search and extraction element is assigned to an Army National Guard Engineering Company, the decontamination element is assigned to an Army National Guard Chemical Company, and the medical element is assigned to an Air National Guard Medical Group. This weekend’s training evaluation, conducted by First U.S. Army certifies the CERFP task force for operations in support of known or suspected Chemical, Biological, Radiological or High Explosive incidents. Media will be escorted onto the Fort Drum training reservation in order to view the training of the CERFP team and receive additional information from the team members. News media will require photo identification for access to Fort Drum. Directions to the Media Operations Center from Interstate 81: Take Exit 48 Black River/Fort Drum. Bear right off the exit (coming from I-81S)/left off the exit (coming from I-81N) onto NYS Route 342. Go straight approximately 5 miles to the NYS Route 11 junction. Take a left onto Rte 11 North. Go straight past a Fort Drum gate and Pizza Hut (on your right) for 3 miles to traffic light intersection. (You will pass the Evans Mills Speedway and water tower.) Take right at intersection onto NYS Route 26 South. Go straight approx. 4.5 miles. You will pass the road to the airfield. Media Operations Center is on the left side of the road, Bldg. S-2509. For additional information, contact the DMNA public affairs office at (518) 786-4581.