DVIDS – News – Guard Aviation trains with fire and rescue teams to gain familiarity during rescue operations

As Washington National Guard helicopter crews can attest, emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time in Washington. Hikers slide down cliff sides, legs break on trails after slipping in a hole, and a routine walk on a nature trail might require an emergency airlift.

To familiarize and share tactics, techniques and procedures, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew from the 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation joined members of the Fire and Rescue team from Central Pierce on May 15, 2024 for a field training exercise at Crystal Mountain. ski resort to rehearse possible technical rescue operations with military aircraft.

“This operation provided a unique and mutually beneficial opportunity for Pierce County first responders to coordinate with the Washington Army National Guard for a realistic, all-hazards emergency and rescue response,” said Maj. Kevin Robillard, 1st Battalion operations officer. , 168th General Support Aviation. “It also allows us to train in accordance with our role in the Evergreen Guardian plan.”

The training came about through built-in relationships with the Central Pierce Fire and Rescue team. Lt. Col. Rebeccah Martinazzi and Scott Fieldman, who both work for the Washington Fire Department and Army National Guard, helped organize the training.

“We had been training for several weeks at Crystal Mountain and this was the culminating event,” Fieldman said. “We had representatives from Pierce County Fire and Rescue, Washington National Guard, Graham Fire, FEMA, Pierce and Snohomish County Sheriff's Offices, and Crystal Rescue crews Mountain who participated in the training.”

The Guard aircraft picked up members of the Central Pierce Fire and Rescue Team at Thun Field and airlifted them to Crystal Mountain to participate in a possible gondola rescue operation.

“This happened in Türkiye last month by coincidence,” Fieldman said.
The Washington Army National Guard is part of a larger footprint of rescue operations in Washington state.

“It is possible that 230 rescue workers, who are expert technicians in the area, will respond to the call,” Fieldman said.

Guard air assets have seen an increase in rescue operations over the past decade, so the training at Crystal Mountain was extremely valuable to the flight crew who participated.

“We were able to not only discuss scenarios such as flying near ropes courses and gondolas, but also provide valuable feedback and input on what Army National Guard aviation aircraft and crews from Washington are able to help,” Robillard said.