NCBRT Instructor Responds to Medical Emergency During Training Exercise

 

June 2, 2014

 

​While teaching at an international training exercise in the Eastern Military District of Jordan, NCBRT instructor Norm Sanders responded to a real-world emergency, an individual experiencing a grand mal seizure. Sanders, who is a licensed physician, successfully responded to the incident without disruption to the class. The individual was stabilized and evacuated to a local Jordanian hospital.

 
The incident occurred on May 16, during the final portion of the field training chemical weapons exercise at a decontamination site. "The officer leading decontamination was ready to pause the exercise," said Sanders. "I instructed him to continue the exercise. It was immaterial to the care of the patient whether or not the exercise continued, and in reality we are training professionals to perform in the face of adversity."

 

Sanders' decision to continue the class in spite of the real-world incident was commended by general officers and staff in attendance. "Kudos to Norm Sanders for successfully responding to a real-world medical emergency without missing a beat during the exercise," said Nate Majean, USCENTCOM Task Lead at Cubic Applications, Inc.

 

In addition to being a licensed physician, Sanders is a peace officer in the Sate of California. He is currently a deputy sheriff in San Mateo County serving as Assistant Commander of the Terrorism Counter Assault Team, a multidisciplinary joint counter terrorist unit comprised of SWAT, fire, explosive ordinance disposal, and hazardous materials response teams. He brings over two decades of experience in military and civilian special operations as both operator and instructor to NCBRT.