An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 23, 2008

National Guard practices search and rescue with local emergency responders

By Spc. Cathy Ayre

BEAUFORT, S.C. - The South Carolina National Guard and Lady's Island Fire and Rescue teamed up to find 10 "missing diabetic youth" on Monday, April 21, in Hunting Island State Park during an emergency preparedness exercise scenario for Vigilant Guard 2008.

Vigilant Guard is a three-day National Guard-hosted exercise which began April 21 in Beaufort County, S.C. The exercise is designed to test the ability of the National Guard, along with federal, state, and local "first responders," to react to a domestic emergency.

"We have National Guard members who are role playing the missing diabetic youth," explained Sgt. 1st Class Steven Wilson, a member of 1st Battalion, 263rd Armor Regiment. "Our search teams work hand-in-hand with local first responders to locate them using a grid-system technique."

Wilson said once the "missing youth" are located, the teams call back to the command center for someone to evacuate them to a safe location and allow the teams to continue the search.

"We have emergency vehicles set up at key points to help make it easier for folks to identify our first responders," said Lee Levesque, public information officer for St. Helena Fire District.

Levesque said that every firefighter is cross-trained and able to handle a variety of emergency scenarios like the one being exercised in Hunting Island.

"We are always trying to maximize our training- keeping safety as the department's first priority," said Levesque.

 

 

Related Articles
A CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the Colorado Army National Guard prepares to provide aerial fire suppression support to the Lee Fire response, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, August 8, 2025. For more than 10 years, the COARNG has partnered with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control and other key partners to host an annual wildland fire training in preparation for wildland fire support.
Colorado Guard Assists Rio Blanco County With Aerial Wildfire Suppression
By | Aug. 8, 2025
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Under executive authority, two Colorado Army National Guard helicopters and aircrews are supporting wildfire suppression efforts in Rio Blanco County, Colorado.Gov. Jared Polis has authorized the use of...

Remains of a flood in Ruidoso, NM, August 4, 2025. New Mexico National Guard units provided aid to the city of Ruidoso after Monsoon rain flooded the city.
New Mexico Guard Soldiers Help Rescue Eight From Flooded Home
By Staff Sgt. Wheeler Brunschmid, | Aug. 8, 2025
RUIDOSO, N.M. - The New Mexico National Guard swiftly responded to a devastating flooding event July 8 in Ruidoso, with two teams of two Guard members performing nine total rescues.Senior Master Sgt. Marci Salmon, assigned to...

U.S. Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division operate an unmanned aerial system and call for artillery fire during a demonstration at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, July 28, 2025. The Soldiers and representatives from Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute demonstrated Project Shrike, an AI-enabled system for rapid target recognition and fire adjustment, by integrating drones and artillery during live-fire training. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. Travis Mueller)
AI, Drones Help Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers Speed Up Artillery Missions
By Maj. Travis Mueller, | Aug. 8, 2025
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 1-109th Infantry Regiment are using artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial system technology to make one particular challenge less stressful for...