VIDEO/PHOTOS: What might’ve looked like a large-scale emergency response unfolding near Power on Tuesday, May 5th, was a carefully planned training scenario.
At the Montana Air National Guard’s Vigilante Drop Zone, a simulated C-130 aircraft crash brought together military personnel, Teton County Sheriff’s Office, Power Volunteer Fire Department, emergency medical services and other partners for a Major Accident Response Exercise — all working through what a real-world aircraft emergency could look like.
The exercise marked the first time the Guard has used the newly established training site for a MARE, showing that the site has training capabilities beyond airdrop operations.
“This is about more than just responding to an incident,” said Lt. Col. Jason Steichen, the exercise director. “It’s about making sure we’ve established relationships with local first responders and understanding each other’s capabilities before something happens.”
For Steichen, the purpose was to test not only the response itself, but the communication and command structure needed when agencies with different roles, resources and procedures arrive at the same scene.
“We know what their capabilities are. They know what our capabilities are,” Steichen expressed. “And we just want to build that trust between us.”
