The U.S. Army replicated a 5.7-magnitude earthquake to assess and demonstrate the Program Executive Office’s crisis-response technologies at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. The service branch said Wednesday that it fielded search-and-rescue systems to free roleplaying victims from simulated debris and collapsed buildings.
Platforms tested during the exercise include a mapping apparatus, an infrared camera drone and a heartbeat and respiration tracker. The demonstration sought to validate the devices’ capacity in evaluating chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazard-filled environments.
“We want our people — our No. 1 priority — to have the capability to assess hazardous environments without exposure to the hazards,” said Gregg Thompson, deputy to the commanding general at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Homeland Defense/Civil Support Office.
