HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
They are training for something they hope never happens, but if it does, they will be ready.
"Out on the street isn't the first time you want to have to deal with it. The more training you get, the better you are. If it happens, you're ready to handle it," said John Syme with the San Francisco Police Department.
This week-long exercise at Redstone Arsenal is allowing civilian bomb squads from around the country, as well as military explosive device experts to work together, on how to handle real-life bomb threat situations.
"They have been some in-depth, well put together scenarios,"
said Syme.
They are scenarios that his team from the San Francisco Police Department might not get to practice otherwise.
That's because their counterparts, have deployment experience to bring to the table.
703rd EOD Team Leader Wayne Malone explains, "They don't have combat experience since they are a civilian bomb squad, so we bring a lot of different ideas that they haven't seen or heard of."
But both teams are bouncing ideas off each other to troubleshoot each problem, something they are finding is helping to accomplish their mission more effectively.
Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Ryall says, "We want to identify the weaknesses and strengths of civilians working with the military in training, prior to them doing it in real life."
That way if it does happen, it won't be their first time working together.
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