CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. – Wyoming Army National Guard aviators, in coordination with local and state firefighting agencies, conducted annual interagency bucket drop training April 16 at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, enhancing readiness for wildfire response across the state.
The training brought together Wyoming Aviation crews and partners including Wyoming State Forestry, Camp Guernsey Fire Department, Cheyenne Fire Rescue’s Wildland Team, Glendo Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Albany County Volunteer Fire Department, Yoder Volunteer Fire Department, Guernsey Rural Fire District and the Platte County Fire Warden. The exercise was designed to sharpen skills such as water bucket deployment, aerial coordination and ground-to-air communications.
“This training supports both our federal and state missions,” said Maj. Brian Doble, operations officer for Training Center Command. “At the federal level, Camp Guernsey’s mission is to facilitate realistic military training. That training comes with an inherent wildfire risk. Our aviators often stand ready to respond, and this type of exercise—conducted with our interagency partners—builds confidence that we can effectively mitigate that risk.”
The training also serves to prepare aviators for real-world wildfire suppression across Wyoming by ensuring they meet required state and federal certifications, Doble said. Local firefighters also benefit by gaining experience working with aircraft in wildfire scenarios.
“This isn’t just about dropping water,” Doble said. “It’s about building relationships and practicing coordinated responses. You never want to meet your firefighting partners for the first time during an actual emergency. These joint exercises build trust and save time when it counts most.”
Camp Guernsey’s unique terrain and mission make it an ideal location for such joint operations.
“Conducting this kind of training at Camp Guernsey is mutually beneficial,” Doble explained. “We conduct planned burns to maintain a fire-adapted landscape that supports military training while protecting the surrounding environment. Our partners get critical live-fire experience, and the community benefits from reduced wildfire risk.”
Doble emphasized the importance of cooperation in the region’s emergency response framework.
“There isn’t a single department around here that can do it all alone,” he said. “We depend on each other. Whether it’s a planned burn or a real wildfire, these partnerships are what keep people safe.”