Training exercise brings over 600 Canadian Armed Forces members to Chatham-Kent [Beuzz]

More than 600 Canadian Armed Forces members from 31 Canadian Brigade Group (31 CBG) are in several Chatham-Kent communities this weekend to provide Arrowhead Response emergency preparedness training.

Soldiers were deployed to the region on Friday to practice planning and executing national support operations after receiving a Request for Assistance (RFA) from civil authorities during a crisis such as a natural disaster or industrial accident.

“Wherever resources may be needed, we must be ready to go,” said LCol Shawn Dumbreck.

“We have come out of the pandemic. We know the province has been hit by ice storms, floods, fires in the north and those are things we need to be prepared to respond to.

Dumbreck said: “It’s one thing to do it in a completely different simulator once you’re actually on the ground. And you know, there’s potential for friction points that just can’t be created in a computer simulation.

Officials stressed the importance of building relationships with local emergency responders and municipal authorities before a natural disaster or emergency occurs, emphasizing the fact that you never know when a emergency situation will arise.

“What would we all do if the day really came when we had a critical incident, some kind of natural disaster or event that happened that required multiple levels of government to work together and provide significant support to Canadians? said Dumbreck. “Although we are all professionals, sometimes we speak slightly different languages ​​and we need to have this face-to-face opportunity to work through these relationships.”

Emergency Management Ontario Regional Field Services Manager Chris Davies told CTV News: ‘We know it’s not a question of whether an emergency is going to happen. It’s a question of when.

Davies continued, “So it’s incredibly important that we build those relationships and train for the inevitable.”

“This is a great opportunity to remind Ontarians that they also play a part in this. We also need them to be prepared and have an emergency kit and an emergency plan.

Davies noted that Emergency Preparedness Week is less than a month away, hoping residents will take the time to ensure they have the basics ready for a real emergency.

“I think this is a real opportunity to send a reminder to all Ontarians that as best as their municipality, as best as the province, as best a federal government can be prepared, we also need they play their part to be ready for those emergencies to arrive. »