The 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita will be conducting four days of exercises on the base to test the response to a variety of disaster and emergency situations.
Base personnel will be involved in different scenarios and activities related to anti-terrorism, natural disaster and other emergency responses. The U.S. Air Force requires all bases to practice their responses to a number of scenarios on a regular basis, to evaluate training and maintain overall readiness. In addition, each unit in the 22nd ARW submits exercise objectives on capabilities they wish to test, and they are added to the overall exercise plan.
Visitors to the base may encounter brief delays due to the exercise, which will include the following activities:
• Tornado sirens and alert sirens.
• “Giant Voice” loudspeakers may be activated.
• Emergency response vehicles will move around the base.
• Security measures may be increased.
• Telephonic and electronic notification methods will be utilized.
McConnell officials said this activity will be planned and controlled, and it will be evaluated to make sure the base has readiness and emergency capability.
