Training exercise brings more than 600 Canadian Armed Forces members to Chatham-Kent

More than 600 Canadian Armed Forces members from 31 Canadian Brigade Group (31 CBG) are in multiple communities across Chatham-Kent this weekend to conduct 'Arrowhead Response' emergency preparedness training.

Soldiers were deployed to the area on Friday to practice the planning and execution of domestic support operations after receiving a Request for Assistance (RFA) from civil authorities during a crisis like a natural disaster or industrial accident.

“Wherever the resources may be needed, we need to be prepared to go there,” said Lt-Col Shawn Dumbreck.

“We've made our way out of the pandemic. We know that the province has been hit with ice storms, with floods, with fires up in the north and these are things we must be prepared to respond to.”

Dumbreck said, “It’s one thing to do it in a simulator completely different once you actually get on the ground. And you know, there's a potential for friction points that can't be just created in a computer simulation.”

Members from 31 Canadian Brigade Group conducted a training exercise in Chatham-Kent on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)Officials stressed the importance of building relationships with local emergency responders and municipal officials before a natural disaster or emergency situation occurs, emphasizing the fact that you never know when an emergency situation will arise.

“What do we all do should the day actually come where we have a critical incident, some sort of natural disaster or event that has occurred that requires multiple levels of government to work together and provide some important support to Canadians?” Dumbreck said. “Despite us all being professional, sometimes we speak a little bit different languages and we need to have that face-to-face opportunity to work through these relationship building.”

The director of regional field services with Emergency Management Ontario, Chris Davies told CTV News, “We know it's not a matter of if an emergency is going to happen. It's a matter of when.”

Davies continued, “So it's critically important that we build these relationships and exercise for the inevitable.”

Members from 31 Canadian Brigade Group conducted a training exercise in Chatham-Kent on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)“It's a great opportunity to remind Ontarians that they also play a role in this we need them to be prepared as well and having an emergency kit and an emergency plan.”

Davies noted Emergency Preparedness Week is less than a month away, hopeful that residents will take the time to ensure they have the basics ready in the event of a real emergency.

“I think it's a real opportunity to send a reminder to all Ontarians that as best as their municipality, as best as the province, as best as a federal government can be prepared, we also need them to play their part to be prepared for those emergencies to happen.”