This is the first time that the state of Georgia has ever hosted a Vigilant Guard event, Deal
said, and this exercise is the largest Vigilant Guard event conducted in its history. Georgia’s
Homeland Security Task Force has been in the event planning process since 2015.
A state of emergency was declared in six Georgia counties during Hurricane Matthew, but
under the scenarios that ran during the Vigilant Guard 17 training exercise, 19 counties were
in a simulated state of emergency.
Exercise missions included collapsed building search and decontamination, search-and-
rescue training, maritime response, aerial firefighting, mass-casualty medical-evacuation
training, cyberattack defense and more.
“The purpose of this exercise is to simulate an event that exceeds our capacity to respond
and stresses our systems to the point we have to ask for assistance outside the state,” said
Army Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard, the state of Georgia’s adjutant general.
“That assistance could come in the form of other Guardsman from other states, active-duty
forces from around the country, as well as additional assistance from federal agencies and
other states,” Jarrard added.
Participants learned to coordinate effective disaster response. As a result, in the event of
a catastrophe, agencies engaged from national to local levels are better prepared to plan,
communicate and take action to protect the citizens of the United States.
“To know that we have the Guard standing behind us is great,” said Tim Holloway, a
manager for Columbia County Georgia Roads and Bridges Department. “We look forward
to working together, whenever it may be.”
Photo by Sgt. Gary Hone
Georgia National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopters transport response teams from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to
Sapelo Island, Savannah, Ga., during Vigilant Guard 2017, a statewide emergency response exercise, March 28, 2017.