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# DLA Installation Management Susquehanna holds full-scale active assailant exercise in recognition of National Preparedness Month

By Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs

                NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa.  –              
You won’t know what will happen in an emergency until it happens, which is why it’s important to exercise and validate emergency response plans according to Rick Zucchero, emergency management specialist for Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.

“One of the main reasons we hold exercises is to find any gaps in our emergency responses and fix them,” said Zucchero. “You’ll never know what you don’t know if you don’t exercise your emergency response plan and holding an emergency exercise is a great way to find out what those unknowns are.”

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, Zucchero coordinated a full-scale active assailant exercise on Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, Sept. 8. Participants included role players from the 4th Marine Corps District, emergency responders from the DLA Installation Management Susquehanna Fire Department, DLA Police Officers and Dauphin County Crisis Response Teams.                 Dauphin County Crisis Response Team members attempt to clear a passageway during a full-scale active assailant exercise held at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, Sept. 8, 2022.                            DLA Installation Management Susquehanna holds full-scale active assailant exercise in recognition of National Preparedness Month                            Dauphin County Crisis Response Team members attempt to clear a passageway during a full-scale active assailant exercise held at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, Sept. 8, 2022.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 220208-D-WD427-0460

The main objective of this exercise was to validate a response to active shooter(s) – holding two sessions – one in the morning and a scaled down version in the afternoon. The exercise took place inside bays one and five of building 54.                 Bret Mitchell, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna fire fighter paramedic, left, and Tim Horner, DLA Installation Management Susquehanna fire fighter emergency medical technician, right, prep exercise role player Marine Cpl. Alex Milbaugh of the 4th Marine Corps District, during a full-scale exercise on Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna Sept. 8, 2022.                            DLA Installation Management Susquehanna holds full-scale active assailant exercise in recognition of National Preparedness Month                            Bret Mitchell, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna fire fighter paramedic, left, and Tim Horner, DLA Installation Management Susquehanna fire fighter emergency medical technician, right, prep exercise role player Marine Cpl. Alex Milbaugh of the 4th Marine Corps District, during a full-scale exercise on Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna Sept. 8, 2022.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 220208-D-WD427-0442

The event started with police response to the simulation of an active assailant injuring personnel in a warehouse building and culminated with the apprehension of a suspected assailant on the building’s rooftop.                 Exercise role player suspect Greg Rada, Jr., facilities operations manager for Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna, is escorted by DLA Installation Management police officer Lt. David Mellinger, while Officer Zachary Conte monitors the hallway behind them during a full-scale active assailant exercise held at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, Sept. 8, 2022.                            DLA Installation Management Susquehanna holds full-scale active assailant exercise in recognition of National Preparedness Month                            Exercise role player suspect Greg Rada, Jr., facilities operations manager for Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna, is escorted by DLA Installation Management police officer Lt. David Mellinger, while Officer Zachary Conte monitors the hallway behind them during a full-scale active assailant exercise held at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, Sept. 8, 2022.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 220930-D-WD427-9876

A well designed and facilitated full-scale exercise involves a large amount of planning, resources, and training, and typically take almost a year to plan. Additionally, an organization may rely on community resources to pull it off.                 Jim Otto, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna force protection officer, left, Carl Weiss, DLA installation Management Susquehanna training division chief, middle and Fred Smith, DLA Installation Management Susquehanna training and prevention assistant fire chief look over the schedule and timeline before the kick-off of a full-scale exercise held on Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna Sept. 8, 2022.                            DLA Installation Management Susquehanna holds full-scale active assailant exercise in recognition of National Preparedness Month                            Jim Otto, Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management Susquehanna force protection officer, left, Carl Weiss, DLA installation Management Susquehanna training division chief, middle and Fred Smith, DLA Installation Management Susquehanna training and prevention assistant fire chief look over the schedule and timeline before the kick-off of a full-scale exercise held on Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna Sept. 8, 2022.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 220208-D-WD427-0444

“We are very lucky in that we have strong partnerships with our local community emergency responders like the Dauphin County Crisis Response Team who will step in and help us with these types of scenarios,” said Zucchero.

Zucchero said that employee active shooter training is also included in annual DLA All Hazard online training.

“Employees can also review their Emergency Action Plans Active shooter section (run, hide, fight) training, consider what ways they could use to get out of their building quickly or where they could hide. They can also request a training brief from their DLA Installation police department,” said Zucchero.

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