VOLK FIELD, Wis. -- Approximately 15 Airmen from the 144th Fighter Wing and 900 other military and civilian emergency personnel came together for the training exercise PATRIOT North at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center and the Fort McCoy Total Force Training Center, Wis., July 17 – 19, 2018.
PATRIOT North is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters.
"This exercise gave our firefighters an opportunity to gain operational skills and tactical training," said Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 144th Civil Engineering Squadron fire chief. "It allows them to focus more on their training and gave them the opportunity to move into different positions."
The exercise tests the National Guard and civilian counter part’s abilities to support emergency response operations based on simulated scenarios, such as an earthquake creating collapsed buildings, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured.
"Many guardsmen haven’t had the opportunity to work in this type of environment and PATRIOT gives our Soldiers and Airmen a chance to hone their skills to respond to a natural disaster and work with emergency management agencies," said Lt. Col. Roger Brooks, exercise director for PATRIOT. "This exercise will help all of us prepare for any disaster."
The training scenarios increased members situational awareness and taught interagency communications.
"The 144th Fighter Wing did exceptionally well," said Cheif Master Sgt. Gallegos. "The Branch Manager, Master Sgt Carlos Chavez, was recognized as a superior performer during the exercise."