CBS2 Exclusive: An Inside Look At Training For Troops Who Respond To Tri-State Area Bomb Threats

McGUIRE AFB, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The thought of a bomb going off in the New York City area is terrifying, but emergency calls about possible bombs happen every week.

And when they do, there is a special team trained to handle the threats. CBS2's Meg Baker had an exclusive look Wednesday at some of that elite team's training exercises.

The 87th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, is based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The base let CBS2 embed with the troops, who investigate suspicious packages and bomb threats around the Tri-State Area.

"We've become experts in the field of counter-IED operations over these past 10, 12, 13 years, so we want to maintain those skill sets," said Sgt. Zachary Burnash.

To the exercise held Wednesday, trainees approach a staged village and hit an improvised explosive device.

The driver appeared to have wounds suffered in an IED blast, and his fellow soldiers were tasked with treating him – and assessing the situation for more bombs.

"There was a sense of urgency from the guys," said Master Sgt. Mario Kovach. "They were responding as fast as possible."

The EOD team gets called out two to three times a week to emergency situations. That is why training is so important.

"Sometimes we can get one call a week. As of a couple of days ago, we have 10 responses in nine days," Master Sgt. Kovach said.

Just last month, the team was alerted to a bomb uncovered at a construction site in New Jersey.

"There was an old World War II era bomb – 500-pound bomb – unearthed at Middlesex County College," Master Sgt. Kovach said.

The unit carefully removed the bomb and detonated it on base.

Officer Dillon Graham taught CBS2's Baker how to control a bomb disposal robot, using an Xbox 360 controller and special glasses to provide the robot's point of view.

"We gripped it and slowly lifted it up so I can see the wire," Graham said.

Another asset to the squad is a K9 unit, with dogs that detect explosives or narcotics before the team sweeps the area.

The hands-on training exercises are essential for safety at home and overseas, the sergeants in charge said.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst warns neighbors that the training will be in progress over the next week, and neighbors might hear rumbling or booms.