CST: Protecting the pastime

National Guard, Nov 2002 by Prawdzik, Christopher

WMD Civil Support Teams help safeguard baseball playoffs and

World Series as part of continuing assistance to local authorities

Maintaining a low profile, Civil Support Teams were on the job during the Major League Baseball playoffs and World Series, fulfilling their roles as defenders against possible chemical, biological or other weapon of mass destruction, or WMD, attack.

At Edison Field, home of the Anaheim Angels, the California Guard's 9th Civil Support Team, or CST, checked for chemical agents while dressed in civilian clothes. At San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park, the 95th conducted similar tests.

"We sent a mobile team out before, during and after the game; we do random sampling in order to determine if someone has caused some sort of problem," said Maj. Daniel Weber, commander of the 9th CST "We can walk around with assessment devices on our person and no one really knows that we're there doing our checks."

Weber said CSTs were also present at the post-World Series parade. But he stressed that the CSTs' capacity is dependent on the needs and at the request of local authorities.

"At Anaheim, the Anaheim police department was the lead group," he said. "We [also] integrated with their fire and [hazardous material] teams."

Coordination is the key, he said. CSTs couldn't operate with out local fire, police and hazardous material agencies. In fact, the CSTs appeared at the playoffs and World Series by invitation of Major League Baseball.

"We don't self-deploy- we have to be requested," Weber said. "We go out and work with the other first responders and agencies. "

CSTs, as other Defense Department assets, play the guessing game that surrounds much of homeland security.

"Right now there's no 'biggest' threat," Weber said. "With terrorism, there's so much that a terrorist can choose from-the type of [weapon], location, type of dispersal. We're just looking at previous events."

CSTs, as a whole, face a daunting task. Each specially trained 22-person team directly combats the threat of WMD. Although California has two CSTs, 27 are certified operational nationwide.

"We're very blessed because there have been no attacks on the West Coast," Weber said.

But he cited another challenge: "What would be very bad things to do [involve] two extremes-over-responding and scaring the population, or under-responding."

The first test for CSTs is determining if they're needed, which is difficult when seconds count.

For example, Weber said a dangerous accident can occur near a venue, but it doesn't hit the "tripwire" that makes it a WMD situation. In Los Angeles, he added, there are hazardous material accidents every day, but few are considered possible WMD events.

"My team has been physically deployed to six cases that turned out to be hoaxes or scares," he said. "We've got to figure out as quickly as possible if it's a hoax or not."

That's why Weber characterizes his team as, "light, smart and fast."

CST members typically have a specialty. Weber's team is comprised of personnel with heavy medical and nuclear backgrounds.

Overall, CSTs also receive aggressive training--a minimum of 1,200 additional hours according to Weber, but he added that training is closer to 1,500 hours, citing a recent, three-hour radiological meeting he attended that wasn't considered part of his original training.

The first 10 CSTs were created in 2000, and 17 additional teams were added in late 2001.

Their primary mission is to support local first responders in the event of a WMD attack. Teams can be en route within four hours of a suspected event, although Weber said for his southern California team, he always can deploy five people out within an hour.

Teams use advanced equipment to conduct on-site tests for a quick return on a suspected WMD agent.

Among digital still and video cameras, each team has self-contained breathing and other decontamination gear

Teams can detect chemical, nerve and blister agents on site, more than 150,000 volatile organic compounds and even weaponized chemical vapors.

In the world of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive material, Weber said CSTs are able focus on the chemical, biological and radiological portion, although they address all WMD threats.

CST participation wasn't limited to this year's baseball post-season schedule. The 2nd WMD Support Team from New York was immediately present after the World Trade Center towers collapsed Sept. 11, 2001, taking air and ground samples. Teams then covered the 2001 World Series.

In February, teams from several states deployed to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics to conduct similar tests be close and available in the event of an attack.

So CSTs were nothing new to this year's World Series, but they've proven themselves as likely fixtures in and around venues that draw large crowds nationwide.

Crucial to Weber, however, is not forcing undue stress or alarm on the public attending these events-particularly if CST members are seen working in heavy protective gear in front of large crowds.