Kansas State University’s sports complex will be the location of a decontamination training exercise by soldiers with the 172nd Chemical Company at Fort Riley on Friday.
The exercise will begin between 7 and 9 a.m. and will end around 5 p.m. It will include between 100-150 soldiers and will be confined to the Bramlage Coliseum west parking lot. In addition to the Fort Riley soldiers, the exercise will also include personnel from K-State’s campus police department and members of Riley County’s emergency medical services and fire department.
Two tents will be set up in the parking lot that will serve as decontamination sites for the exercise. The locations will be used to decontaminate up to 60 role-playing victims per hour for exposure to chemical, biological or radiological contamination.
According to Staff Sgt. Larry Curtis, a non-commissioned officer with Fort Riley’s 172nd Chemical Company, the area around the coliseum serves as the ideal location for the company’s fifth and final training exercise because of its large parking lot and proximity to fire hydrants.