The Boston Bombing: An Interagency Response

The Boston Marathon Bombing
and the WMD-CST Response
Major Matthew Woolums
Commander, 1st WMD-CST
10/11/2013
UNCLASSIFIED
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Mission
• Conduct WMD/CBRN monitoring, hazard detection,
identification, assessment, consequence projection, and
response measure advice
• Coordinate with civil authorities in order to enhance security
and public safety at the start and finish line areas for the
Boston Marathon
• Provide civil authorities with rapid identification, assessment,
and advice regarding mitigation of any hazards discovered
• Provide hazard modeling and communications interoperability
if required
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Concept of Operations
Split Operation
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Background
• 0400-0600: CST deployed to begin missions at start and finish
• 1200: Starting line mission complete, personnel released
• Capabilities remaining at finish line:
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Command Element
Tactical Operations Center (TOC)
Mobile Lab (13th CST RI)
Physician Assistant
3 Joint Hazard Assessment Teams (JHATs) with Boston Fire HAZMAT
FBI HMRT co-located
Remote sensors deployed
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Boston AO Pre-Incident
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Tactical Unit Locations at 1450
JHAT
Personnel
ICP
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CST Actions Following Bombings
• At ~1450 two IEDs detonated within 10 seconds of one another
– Ops lost comms with all downrange personnel (JHATs)
– Ops lost communications with all remote sensors
– Command moved to finish line for accountability
Both blasts on Boylston Street
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Spectators reacting to the IED
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CST Actions Following Bombings
• JHAT personnel immediately move to blast sites to
conduct hazard monitoring and provide first aid as
necessary
• Negative for both chemical/radiological hazards
• Sufficient medical care provided by medical tent staff
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Onsite Situation
Responders treating victims
CST ADVON arriving link-up with BPD
CST ADVON arriving on-scene
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CST ADVON and Survey aerial
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CST Actions Following Bombings
• Reports via radio a potential 3rd device located by EOD
• Out of concern for victim responders CST began IED sweep
CST personnel conducting IED sweep
under grandstands
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CST Actions Following Bombings
• Once all victims evacuated, CST personnel departed the blast
site and began follow-on support actions to the ICP (TAG, FBI,
ATF, follow-on NG forces)
Maj Gen L. Scott Rice, Adjutant General, surveying damage
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Lessons Learned
• Training will never perfectly emulate the way events play
out in reality—be creative in scenario development
– Imagine the Boston Bombing as an RDD and war game the
challenges of such a scenario
• Expect equipment failure, build redundancy, regularly
train with your back-up gear
– Cell phones outages, satellite obstructions
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Lessons Learned
• Have a plan to communicate team health & welfare to
families
– Push info--families will continuously seek it either way
– Have a plan to communicate bad news
• Consider behavioral health impact on the unit and the
impact at home
– Immediately reach out to support resources: mental
health/chaplain.
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Lessons Learned
• Build relationships with interagency partners
and train with them…
…a familiar face goes a long way in a disaster!!!
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Questions?
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