VA activates Crisis Response Team for homeland security: in the event of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, VA is preparing itself so service to veterans won't be disrupted

VFW Magazine, Jan, 2004 by Janie Blakenship

As U.S. forces continue to fight the war on terrorism in Afghanistan as well as the Iraq War, the Department of Veterans Affairs is making strides in its homeland security efforts.

Established in 2001, VA's Crisis Response Team (CRT) aims to further VA's readiness in the event of a terrorist attack, which could potentially interrupt service for veterans.

"After Sept. 11, Secretary Principi knew the world had changed forever and he put in place a team and a plan to ensure we could continue our mission under any conditions," said Claude Kicklighter, assistant secretary for Policy, Planning and Preparedness and director of CRT.

CRT's main goal is to ensure minimal disruption in VA services. One way preparations are handled is by VA's participation in the TOPOFF2 (short for "top officials" like Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and others who named the exercise) drills conducted in Seattle and Chicago in May. In the Seattle simulation, a dirty bomb attack occurred; in Chicago it was an outbreak of the bubonic virus.

Led by the Department of Homeland Security, the simulations provided local VA hospitals with real-time training. Their response to the pseudo-attacks gave an opportunity for assessment and identified strengths and weaknesses. More important, it allowed VA to work on interagency coordination.

Experts in terrorism and weapons of mass destruction designed the 200-page TOPOFF2 exercises. They injected as much realism as possible, and few participants were told of the details. In Seattle, observers said it looked like the set of a movie production with an overturned bus and wrecked cars, which had supposedly been blown up in the dirty bomb attack.

"We hope and pray this will never happen," Kicklighter said. "But if it does, we'll be ready."

CRT Springs Into Action

Recently, CRT's planning came in handy. Last summer's blackouts in the Northeast wiped out power in 27 VA hospitals, 118 outpatient clinics, two nursing homes, eight VA regional offices and five national cemeteries.

Quick action on VA's part allowed the facilities to remain operational. Emergency power generators as well as battery backups for medical devices were in place. As a result, none of the facilities' operations were disrupted.

During Hurricane Isabel, VA planned ahead and transferred patients at the Hampton (Va.) VA Medical Center to a facility in Richmond.

Furthermore, during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, VA increased security measures because of so many people converging from all over the world.

"Whatever was going to happen, we "knew we had to be prepared," Kicklighter said. "As long as this war is going on, we need to spring into action at a moment's notice."

Kicklighter added that VA is prepared to absorb casualties from DoD should the need arise. In other words, if the military's medical facilities become overcrowded with war wounded, VA could accept some of the military's patients under the VA/DoD Contingency Hospital System Plan.

Another possibility in hospital care falls under the National Disaster Medical Emergency Plan, which places patients in civilian hospitals. According to Kicklighter, CRT is working with several hospitals to see which ones would be available in case of a crisis.

Preparing for the Worst

To plan and prepare, CRT meets twice a week in the basement of VA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. When the threat level issued by the Homeland Security office is orange, the group of 20 officials meets at least five times a week.

Their meeting room or readiness operations center (R.O.C.) is complete with U.S. and world maps, clocks showing the time all across the country and a videoconferencing television which enables CRT to communicate with employees in the field.

In addition to the office in D.C., each VA medical center and VA Veterans Integrated Service Network has an operations center--the hub for communications in the event of an emergency. Should the O.C. in Washington be without communications, other O.C.s would kick in and do the job, according to Kicklighter.

Already in place is a high-tech communications system for emergencies. Primary means for communicating consists of computers backed up with telephones, satellite phones and a high frequency radio system.

Additionally, CRT is working with the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), an amateur radio operators association, on using "ham" radios for emergency communications. Kicklighter said volunteer radio operators are a good fit. Many of them are veterans who have military radio experience and have joined amateur operator clubs that hold meetings at VA facilities.

The ARRL was awarded a $181,900 grant from the Office of Homeland Security's Corporation for National Community Service to train amateur radio operators in emergency preparedness. During the next three years, ARRL hopes to train 5,000 volunteers in emergency communications.

ARRL was instrumental in assisting firefighters during the October wildfires in California. The volunteer radio operators helped the Red Cross and Salvation Army coordinate shelter locations for those fleeing the flames.