Simulated emergency to test response capabilities for Team Robins Published March 14, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78 ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, GA -- Doing the right thing during an emergency is essential to a positive outcome. The same is true in a simulated emergency, such as in the case of the Emergency Management Exercise that will take place during the April Operational Readiness Inspection at Robins. Whether it's a simulated plane crash or staged chemical warfare attack, Team Robins will be under the microscope as Air Force Materiel Command's Inspector General Team inspectors rate everyone's response to the exercised incident. Chief Master Sgt. David Berry, 78th Mission Support Group superintendent, said civilians's role in the EM portion of the ORI factors into Robins's grade as much as those in uniform. "(Civilians are) especially important in the emergency management portion," he said. "It's important for everyone, military and civilian alike, to participate." Colonel Patrick Higby, 78th MSG commander and daytime Warrior Air Base commander, said force protection changes can come into play during the exercise and everyone's cooperation is important. "The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center's grade on the ORI for (force protection) is determined by all of our tenants and visitors and other personnel that might be on Robins that day," he said. The colonel said Robins will try to keep people's inconvenience to a minimum, with the base going in lockdown mode for only about 30 minutes. Colonel Higby said Robins will be the first in AFMC to undergo an ORI under the Air Force Incident Management System, which came online in January 2007. Since AFMC IG inspectors aren't well versed on AFIMS guidelines and organizational structures, Colonel Higby said Robins's exercise evaluation team members will be evaluated on their ability to conduct an emergency management exercise. Colonel Higby said inspectors will most likely use Robins's EET members' results as a measure for grading other bases for future ORIs. Langley AFB, Va., an Air Combat Command will also undergo an ORI under AFIMS in April.