South Carolina National Guard partners with state agencies to conduct wellness checks during Vigilant Guard 2015

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brad Mincey | S.C. National Guardsmen, S.C. State Guard, fire and rescue service members, sheriff’s deputies and other emergency responders went door-to-door checking on the local citizens March 7, 2015, in Overton, S.C., during Vigilant Guard 2015. The health and wellness check was an opportunity for the S.C. National Guard, S.C. State Guard and other emergency responders to train in proper techniques to safeguard and assist the citizens, and for the local community to see the responders were ready to react and help them in their time of need if an incident actually occurred. Vigilant Guard is a series of federally funded disaster-response drills conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Brad Mincey/Released)  

MONCKS CORNER, SC, UNITED STATES

03.07.2015

Courtesy Story

South Carolina National Guard

By Sgt. Tashera Pravato, 108th Public Affairs Detachment

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The South Carolina National Guard, in partnership with numerous state agencies, conducted hurricane response training in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, as a part of Vigilant Guard 2015, a regional emergency response exercise focused on response to a natural disaster, in this case a Category 4 hurricane.

The SCNG partnered with the S.C. State Guard, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department and other local emergency responders to conduct health and wellness checks in the Overton neighborhood. The joint task force went door-to-door checking on the local residents, assessed their needs and determined how best to meet those needs in a real response.

“In the scenario, our job today was to assist the S.C. State Guard, along with various Berkeley County emergency responders, and perform health and wellness checks for citizens who might have been affected by the storm,” said Sgt. Jeremy Argabright, Bravo Company, 1-118 Infantry.

The morning started off with a mass briefing, giving the different organizations an opportunity to prepare for the exercise and solve last-minute issues together. Individuals were also taking that time to exchange tactical and medical strategies as well as to learn from each other.

“It’s exciting to see the SCNG and State Guard come out to help and inform the community,” said Lt. Annie Jackson, Berkeley County Sheriff's deputy. “It’s an honor and a pleasure to work with them now as we would in the case of a natural disaster.”

However, working with other organizations agencies also has its challenges. Establishing effective communication with all of the organizations involved was a learning experience for one State Guardsman.

“The exercise is really dynamic in terms of terminality. Everyone has there own structure and language,” said Lt. Col. Corigan Smothers, task force commander for the State Guard. “This is an opportunity to work on maintaining relationships so that when a natural disaster happens, we can work as a team to respond.”

• Date Taken: 03.07.2015
• Date Posted: 03.07.2015 18:17
• Story ID: 156315
• Location: MONCKS CORNER, SC, US