U.S. Border Patrol tests disaster skills up North Fork

The U.S. Border Patrol’s National Critical Incident Response Team conducted a training exercise in the North Fork area last week.

The training, which ran from Monday through Friday at the closed Trail Creek Port of Entry, included 17 Border Patrol agents and 20 local residents.

The training exercise, called “Operation Powder Burn,” simulated a forest fire and was designed to give the response team exposure to real-life scenarios they might encounter during a major emergency.

The local residents got to dress up and receive “Hollywood-style” fake injuries, which helped make the exercise more realistic, Border Patrol spokesman David Abegglen said.

The Incident Response Team is made up of Border Patrol agents who serve as peer support members or chaplains and have received advanced training in critical incident response.

The team’s mission is to respond with other emergency teams to large disasters or national events such as hurricanes, earthquakes and terrorist attacks.

The role of the team is to ensure that both federal and local first responders receive the support they need regarding stress defusing and debriefings, and death notifications.

They also assist people who are dealing with emotional trauma, grief, and other situations one might expect during a large disaster.