Kentucky Guard, Ecuador Share Disaster Response Tactics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Seven members of the Ecuadorian armed services visited Kentucky recently to learn more about how the Kentucky National Guard responds to emergencies and to share their own disaster response techniques.

The Ecuadorians attended capabilities briefings with the Guard's 41st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, or WMD-CST, at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville before observing team members in action at Churchill Downs Racetrack. The Guard worked at the racetrack with local, state and federal emergency responders to practice the techniques they use to monitor large public events for the presence of threats from chemical, biological, radiological and explosive agents.

The Ecuadorians also visited Burlington, Kentucky - home of the Kentucky Army Guard's 103rd Chemical Battalion - to observe the protection, detection and decontamination methods employed by the Guard's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package, also known as the CERFP.

The visit, conducted through the Department of War National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, offered an opportunity for the forces to exchange knowledge, strengthen professional relationships and enhance cooperation, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Rachael Griffith, commander of the 41st WMD-CST.

"While both forces possess similar capabilities, the exchange revealed different and innovative ways to implement tactics," Griffith said. "Key highlights included a crucial discussion on the secondary psychological effects on Soldiers and Airmen performing fatality search-and-rescue missions, offering valuable insights into troop welfare."

The sessions also covered an in-depth comparison of medical assets and services, a knowledge exchange on radiation detection equipment and a technical and analytical deep-dive among the Guard's WMD-CST; the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package; and the Ecuadorian Special Forces.

"The exchange proved that both organizations' missions are vital to the safety and welfare of their respective states and countries. A significant benefit for the Kentucky National Guard was the ability to validate many of our own tactics, techniques and procedures, and standard operating procedures, which mirrored those already in use by our Ecuadorian counterparts," Griffith said.

"Events like these do more than just show support for host nations," Griffith added. "They build a profound sense of unity. This collaborative spirit underscores a shared commitment to global safety and the continuous improvement of response capabilities."

Ecuadorian Air Force Lt. Col. Brian Flores, liaison to the United States Embassy, agreed. He said the event, held March 8-14, was instrumental to fostering further interoperability and strategic partnerships between Ecuador and the U.S. military. The Kentucky National Guard has been conducting information-exchange engagements with Ecuador since 1996.

"The opportunity to visit the Kentucky National Guard, both Army and Air components, proved highly enriching," he said. "Experiencing firsthand their capabilities provided valuable insights into how future joint activities can be executed to foster growth and strengthen our ability to confront emerging threats."

Having a strategic partner such as the Kentucky National Guard, Flores said, "represents a tremendous advantage for the Ecuadorian Armed Forces, enhancing interoperability, updating knowledge and ensuring that our personnel remain motivated and mission-ready."

"The exchange focused on chemical-attack response in domestic operations and allowed us to identify, refine and update knowledge, equipment and specific procedures," Flores added. "It demonstrated how a relatively small but highly effective team can successfully address emergencies related to chemical attacks and their prevention. Observing firsthand the technical expertise and operational practices of the Kentucky National Guard provides Ecuadorian personnel with a model to implement significant improvements and strengthen readiness."

U.S. Army Maj. Thomas Miler, CERFP officer in charge, said the exchange was yet another example of outstanding cooperation between the two nations and was "well-received by everyone."

"The Kentucky CERFP demonstrated techniques and equipment that will be useful to Ecuador as they continue to build their chemical-threat-response infrastructure, and we continue to learn important new insights from their experience in disaster response," he said.

The 41st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team and the CERFP are both joint units, composed of Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard and Soldiers from the Kentucky Army National Guard.

There are 57 Civil Support Teams across America, providing training, technical advice, joint risk assessment and the identification of unknown substances in support of civilian authorities following natural disasters and events involving hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction. There are 17 National Guard CERFP units in the United States, providing search-and-extraction, decontamination and medical triage capabilities.