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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 28, 2009 No. 09-106 KANSAS ADJUTANT GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT PLANS RIBBON CUTTING FOR CRISIS CITY AND NEW NATIONAL GUARD FACILITY IN SALINA The new Kansas National Guard’s 284th Air Support Operations Squadron mission will be formally put in place with the ribbon cutting for the unit’s headquarters building at the Great Plains Joint Training Center in Salina, Kan., on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. In addition, the formal ribbon cutting for the “Crisis City” training venue at the GPJTC will begin at 11 a.m. outside the incident command center. Federal, congressional and state senators and representatives as well as agency partners and many agency partners have been invited to the event. The Air Support Operations Squadron mission serves as a counterpart to Army soldiers in air-supported missions, assisting in using aircraft as close-air support. The GPJTC serves to enhance the state’s capabilities to defend against terrorism and respond to disasters and emergencies. The center provides venues to ensure state and local first responders, the Kansas National Guard and public safety organizations have state-of-the art training facilities. The Great Plains Joint Training Center in Salina, which includes Smoky Hill Weapons Range, will serve as a training hub. The center currently has approximately 36,000 acres for air and ground training. The training center concept resulted from The Adjutant General’s Department working with numerous state and local government agencies and public safety professional organizations to determine how best to integrate the needs of emergency responders, public safety and the National Guard into realistic training and exercise facilities. State and federal partners include: Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department, Emergency Medical Services, Transportation Security Administration, emergency management, public and private industry, sheriff’s departments, police departments, fire departments, university police, and other military Reserve components. In June an exercise was held at the GPJTC which included a scenario simulating the terrorist introduction of foreign animal disease into the state and concluded with a train disaster.-30- Follow the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KSAdjutantGen |
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