Field Hospital for Vigilant Guard Published June 17, 2010 By Senior Airman Matthew Mohundro 110th PAO Battle Creek ANGB -- On June 15, 2010 the 110th Airlift Wing dining facility parking lot became the stage for a mass casualty training exercise called Vigilant Guard. The Training included a small tent village called the Michigan Transportation Emergency Surge Assistance (MI-TESA), where a number of people were treated for 'flu-like' symptoms following a recent outbreak. As an exercise in emergency preparedness, it made use of these tents and facilities as a portable hospital. They have all the same amenities and even more beds than some community hospitals, according to Bob Dievendorf, Region 5 Bio-Terrorism Preparedness Coordinator. Patients entered the first tent called the triage, where they were checked in and assessed to be directed to the proper area for treatment. When the patient was sent to treatment, they were examined by local area doctors and nurses from several local medical facilities in the Battle Creek area. These medical professionals were working side by side with military personnel to train for crisis situations. The equipment found in this field hospital is state-of-the-art, Including medical diagnostic computers and treatment equipment such as x-ray, ultrasound and ventilators. Powering all of this were two generators pumping out 56,000 watts of power each. "We have enough power here to run the essential equipment for a small city," explained Bob Dievendorf. "Each tent is 19 by 35 feet and has its own heating and air-conditioning and can be packed up into 5 boxes for easy transport," said Dievendorf. In a real world emergency, this facility would be intended for the stabilization and observation of patients until they can be transported to a larger medical center for continued treatment. For Vigilant Guard, it served as a top of the line training center for emergency triage and a vital tool in the effort to bring military and civilian personnel together in emergency preparedness.