UTAH
VERMONT
Utah Army, Air Guard train in joint preparedness exercise
The joint exercise was a testament to the importance of collab- oration in emergency management. Both teams showcased the dedication and expertise to respond effectively to various threats.
By Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Perez 151st Air Refueling Win | OCT. 2, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY - Members of the Utah National Guard emergen- cy management and weapons of mass destruction civil support teams trained together in a preparedness exercise at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base Sept. 20. The scenario for the Air and Army National Guard members was a simulated weapons of mass destruction incident aboard a KC-135R aircraft. “Joint exercises like the one with the Utah Air National Guard and the Utah National Guard CST provide us invaluable opportuni- ties to work together, learn from each other, and enhance our response capabilities,” said Senior Master Sgt. Julia Dandurand, emergency management superintendent with the 151st Air Refueling Wing. “During wartime, we become the first responders, specializing in handling various hazards. In both scenarios, our goal is to keep everyone safe.”
Vermont airmen and soldiers assist after historic flooding
By Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri 158th Fighter Wing | JUY 20, 2023
“We saw one house that had its entire driveway disappear,” said Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Powell, 158th Cyber Operations Super- intendent. “They were cut entirely from all resources until the town could get to them.” Powell, a former Vermont school teacher, was personally impacted as certain impassable roadways made checking in on his parents challenging. He said that the entire experience has been surreal but hasn’t been without some merits. “It feels good, as a Guard member, to be out here, helping people that I grew up with,” said Powell. “To witness their resilience and help them get to a place that was better than before the flood.” LeBeau also said the devastation has brought out the best in the Airmen and Soldiers. He said the Guard members working the LNO mission are neighbors and community members living and working in the impacted areas. “The mission of the Vermont National Guard is founded on selfless service and excellence,” said Lebeau. “These Airmen and Soldiers were given very short notice and chose to put their personal lives on hold to answer the call. In my opinion, there is nothing that captures the mission of the Vermont National Guard more than being able to provide a fully-ready, professional service to our state during a time of need.”
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Floodwaters caused historic and cata- strophic devastation throughout Vermont for two days beginning Monday, July 10. Montpelier, Vermont’s capital city, was battered by a record-setting 5.28 inches of rainfall on Monday alone — more than any other day on record. This week, the Vermont National Guard was activated to assess the damage. “Events like these require extensive amounts of data collection and dissemination,” said 1st Lt. Nick LeBeau, Liaison Officer (LNO) Operations & Plans, “and as with any sudden overwhelming amount of information, things can fall through the cracks. For this reason, we want to ensure that no community or family is forgotten.” Twenty-five Vermont Army and Air National Guard members will deploy to more than 130 towns throughout the state as part of the LNO mission. “The purpose of the LNO mission is to meet with local leaders and relay any damages or necessities to the State Emergency Operations Center that have not already been addressed by local or federal resources,” said LeBeau. The damages range from impacted resources such as clean drink- ing water and electricity to infrastructure needs like washed-out roadways, driveways and bridges. The damages have also impact- ed the time it takes to reach some communities.
EM personnel respond to hazards, from natural disasters to chemi- cal, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.
Integrating different units and disciplines is crucial for the success of emergency management. The goal is to move from conducting joint exercises to establishing an integrated response paradigm. In this vision, during emergencies, a CST member may collaborate with an EM expert as part of the same entry team, harnessing the strengths of both disciplines to maximize efficiency and effective- ness. “Joint integration is key. Operating with joint partners will do nothing but make you a better performer and enhance your skills,“ Dandurand said. “We want them to take new ideas away from us, and we want to take new ideas away from them. It just makes us better, whether we’re at home station or abroad.”
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