Ahead of a concerning fire season, the Washington National Guard is leaning on their partnership with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to train guard members in supporting wildfire fighting efforts.
According to the Washington National Guard, the two organizations have worked together since 2012, when Major General Bret Daugherty encouraged a focus on preparing National Guard members for state missions.
Come 2014 and 2015, the training that those guard members received proved to be vital in supporting Washington’s two largest wildfire seasons recorded. More than 2,300 guard members trained in red card certification and helicopter water bucket drops supported first responders both on the ground and in the air.
This year, nearly 300 guard members were trained in red card certification with the Department of Natural Resources. Over the past ten years, more than 3,000 guard members have helped fight wildland fires in Washington.
“We were very fortunate the last few years, but we have to continue to be ready for the potential threats of massive wildfires in our state,” said Major General Daugherty, “We have shown in the dozen years the importance of having well-trained and qualified wildland fire fighters in the National Guard.”