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Eglin AFB postpones joint ‘mass casualty’ exercise due to potential storm

Eglin Air Force Base has postponed a scheduled joint aircraft mass casualty accident response exercise due to the threat of hazardous weather from an approaching tropical system.
Tech. Sgt. Matthew Scott, an emergency medical technician with the 96th Medical Group, and Eglin firefighters move a victim of a simulated aircraft fire onto a stretcher during a mass casualty exercise at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

The 96th Test Wing announced Monday that the exercise, originally set for September 25, will be rescheduled.

  • As a result, the planned closure of General Bond Boulevard from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday has been canceled.

“Eglin is dedicated to prioritizing the safety and security of all base personnel, and will continue to monitor and respond appropriately to any upcoming weather conditions,” base officials stated.

The exercise was designed to evaluate the wing’s ability to coordinate with multiple agencies, both on and off base, during an emergency scenario. Its purpose was to test command, control, and coordination capabilities in response to a simulated aircraft accident with mass casualties.

Base officials have not announced a new date for the exercise. They emphasized that the decision to postpone was made in the interest of safety, given the uncertain weather conditions expected later in the week.

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