The Missouri National Guard has wrapped up in a Vigilant Guard training exercise for the worst-case scenario of natural disasters that could happen in the state. In the last ten years, Missouri has experienced flooding, ice storms and the devastating tornado last year in Joplin.
The Missouri National Guard held a worst-case scenario natural disaster exercise which included a simulated earthquake along the New Madrid fault line. Lieutenant Colonial Ryon Richmond says Ajutant General Stephen Danner was in charge of the drill and calls the exercise a success.
“The exercise itself, not only does it allow the National Guard to exercise, but it also allows us to exercise with our local and state level and even federal level partners in reference to a response,” he says.
“A lot of times we don’t get that with our state or local partners and this allowed us to continue to train and build common relationships as well as coordinating and cooperating with each other.”
Richmond says over four thousand soldiers; airmen and civilian partners participated in the drill. “This is the largest exercise that we’ve coordinated as the Missouri National Guard in reference to any response,” he says.
He says it allowed them to coordinate and cooperate with each other in the event of an emergency and responding to the citizens of Missouri. The exercise took place over a five day period that concluded last week.
AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (1:03)