Delaware National Guard conducts Operation Cyclone Saturday
RIVER ROAD TRAINING SITE, NEW CASTLE, and NEW CASTLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Del. -- On Saturday, April 11, the Delaware National Guard will conduct a joint training exercise. The Joint Operations Center will be operational at 7 a.m. at the Armed Forces Reserve Center. Search and rescue operations will commence at the River Road Training Site, 1161 River Road, New Castle, Del., at 8:30 a.m. Army Blackhawks will evacuate the simulated wounded to the Air National Guard Base. At 10:30-11 a.m. simulated patients will be loaded onto C-130s followed immediately with aerial evacuation from the base. Media are invited to attend the training exercise.
The exercise is in response to a simulated tornado that has swept through New Castle County, destroying homes and a school, as well as causing a massive amount of injuries and fatalities. The capabilities of first responders are overwhelmed. The power plant has extensive damage, requiring it to shut down, interrupting power service to the entire county. Communication has also been interrupted throughout the county.
It is anticipated that the damage already caused by the tornado will only get worse. Subsequent gas explosions are expected, further overwhelming first responders.
A state of emergency has been declared.
The goal of the exercise is to integrate organic and regional National Guard assets with civilian response agencies, while conducting interagency support.
Visual highlights:
The Joint Operations Center, beginning at 7 a.m., operational all day
Soldiers load mannequins in Black Hawk helicopters at the River Road Training Site at approximately 8:30 a.m.
Simulated patients will be loaded onto C-130 aircraft between 10:30-11 a.m., followed by aerial evacuation from the New Castle Air National Guard Base
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