June 18, 2025
Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts
231-922-8273/nicholas.t.betts@uscg.mil
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City is scheduled to conduct an interagency mass rescue exercise on Lake Michigan, near Manistee, Michigan, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 25, 2025.
The exercise will simulate a downed aircraft incident near Manistee Blacker Airport (MBL) and will involve multiple local and federal agencies. The exercise aims to enhance interagency coordination and test the effectiveness of local response capabilities in a mass casualty scenario.
Participating agencies include:
• Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City
• Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan
• Coast Guard Station Manistee
• Manistee County Emergency Management
• Manistee County Sheriff’s Office
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources
• Manistee City Police
• Manistee County Central Dispatch
The key objectives of the exercise are designed to evaluate communication protocols between local dispatch and Sector Lake Michigan and assess the response time and coordination of participating agencies in a mass rescue scenario.
“Training exercises like this are critical to ensuring our readiness and ability to respond effectively to real-world emergencies,” said Lt. Theodore Keenan, Standardization Officer at Air Station Traverse City. “By working closely with our local partners, we can strengthen our partnerships, improve our collective response capabilities and enhance the safety of the maritime community.”
This is a simulated exercise and there is no actual emergency. The public is asked to avoid the exercise area during the training to allow for safe and efficient operations.
For any inquiries regarding this training exercise, please contact Lt. j.g. Nicholas Betts, Air Station Traverse City Public Affairs Officer at 231-922-8273 or via email at Nicholas.T.Betts@uscg.mil
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