The 162nd Medical Group hosted the first-ever Desert Falcon Multi-Agency Medical Response & Recovery Exercise last week at the University of Arizona’s San Xavier Mine.

Alongside nine local partner agencies, the wing’s medical and emergency management personnel gained unique, realistic, scenario-based training both above and underground.

The exercise featured confined space and technical rope rescue; casualty entrapment and treatment; point of injury scenarios employing Tactical a Combat Casualty Care MARCH algorithms; helicopter and patient evacuation familiarization; and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear response training.

Community partners included the University of Arizona School of Mining and Mineral Resources, Department of Mining and Geological Engineering, University of Arizona EMS Medical Direction Team, Department of Public Safety, Pima County Sheriff Search and Rescue, Banner Health Medical Transport, Tucson Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, Drexel Heights Fire Department, and the Green Valley Fire Department.