North Charleston, S.C. – In preparation for next year’s Charleston Airshow, Joint Base Charleston (JBC) held a large-scale mass casualty simulation on Thursday, bringing together eighteen medical teams from across the Lowcountry.
The goal of the exercise was to train first responders to handle emergencies like plane crashes, fires, and large crowds in a realistic and controlled environment.
Realistic Emergency Setup to Train Medical Teams
Volunteer actors were placed throughout a parking lot, pretending to be injured. Some were given realistic-looking wounds using makeup and prosthetics—ranging from burns and smoke inhalation to missing limbs. Others were instructed to distract medics and simulate the chaos that comes with real emergencies.
Elise Redziniak, senior enlisted leader of the 628th Medical Group, said the simulation was made to feel very real.
“It felt very real for our medics, so we practice like we play,” she explained.
Fire Department Tackles Simulated Plane Crash
As part of the exercise, Joint Base Charleston’s fire department responded to a mock airplane crash, complete with a large simulated fire. Teams practiced fire response, crowd control, and emergency triage setups to treat “injured” individuals on the spot.
Martin Shelling, Emergency Medical Manager for Air Mobility Command, said,
“They will be better prepared because they’ve seen the treatment of patients firsthand—both in their hands and in their minds.”
Focus on Readiness Beyond the Airshow
While the drill is part of the preparation for the Charleston Airshow, Shelling emphasized that this kind of readiness is necessary year-round.
“We have the airshow, but the reality is we’re on an airfield. There’s an airport here. We have to be prepared at all times,” he said.
Learning for the Future
After the simulation ended, the emergency teams remained on site for post-exercise analysis. This included identifying what worked well and where improvements are needed.
Richard Kipp, commander of the 620th Medical Group, shared,
“We always learn. We’ll go back, hold reviews, and talk about what could have gone better and how to be even more prepared next time.”
The mass casualty drill at Joint Base Charleston helped first responders from across the region gain hands-on experience in dealing with large-scale emergencies. With the upcoming airshow and everyday activity at the base, this kind of training ensures that emergency teams are always prepared to respond quickly and effectively, no matter the situation.
