Defence Team News: Exercise ARROWHEAD RESPONSE
Video / May 17, 2023
Transcript
LCol Dumbreck: I think one of the biggest takeaways from me from this exercise is to see the interaction between my soldiers and the community. And the way the community has welcomed them, you know, with open arms to help us do this important training.
Narrator: Over 600 soldiers from 31 Canadian Brigade Group, headquartered in London Ontario, conducted Exercise ARROWHEAD RESPONSE in Chatham-Kent Ontario. The soldiers were tasked with planning and executing domestic support operations in response to a simulated natural disaster.
LCol Dumbreck: So, the whole point of Exercise ARROWHEAD RESPONSE is to exercise our ability as the Canadian Army Reserve to be able to come together and provide support to other government departments and local authorities in response to a request for assistance that may be generated after something like… some sort of natural disaster, like a flood or ice storm, or a prolonged power outage. Or like what we saw, you know, in the last couple years with the pandemic.
So, kind of the overall scenario here, surprisingly, despite all the sun you're seeing… The scenario was supposed to be reminiscent of responding to prolonged power outage cause by an ice storm. In addition to the municipality of Chatham-Kent, we've been working directly with the Chatham-Kent Police department as well as Chatham-Kent Fire. And then the Emergency Management Organization of Ontario.
Chris Davies: Ya, leading up to the exercise, we were engaged in the planning for the event. We're currently playing an observer status. And here partnering with our Canadian Army, which we do routinely throughout the year. In order to be prepared, you have to exercise. Something like a significant natural disaster: We would have a request for assistance process where we could engage the CAF, and the Armed Forces would come out to provide that assistance. Of course, that's not the time – We don't want to be making a call during an event. That's why in advance, we prepare, we exercise together, we plan for these events together... To make sure that when a catastrophe does strike, that we're all prepare to respond to assist the residents of Ontario.
Narrator: The troops also participated in an open house, where community members met soldiers and first responders, and tried out some of their equipment.
LCol Dumbreck: To invite the community to come and meet a soldier, it's an opportunity that quite frankly, they don't get very often. And you know, it's one of those things that helps center our soldiers and help them understand what does it mean to wear the Canadian flag on their shoulder. So, to come here in this community and see that kind of support, is good for relationship building and is very positive for both the morale of our soldiers, and it allows for some reassurance to the community to know that the Canadian Armed Forces is ready to respond and help them in a time of need.