The New York Naval Militia, the New York Army National Guard, the New York Guard and the Schodack Landing Fire Company teamed up to execute a wildfire training exercise on the Hudson River off Schodack Island State Park on Sept. 6, 2024.
Seventeen New York Naval Militia members deployed two patrol boats and a landing craft from the Military Emergency Boats Service, or MEBS for short. The Naval Militia also deployed a command trailer on shore to orchestrate the operation.
The boats stopped traffic on the Hudson River, while an Army National Guard UH-60M helicopter crew conducted firefighting exercise over the water.
The 3,200-member Naval Militia is composed of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve members who agree to serve on state active duty when called by the state of New York.
The helicopter crew, based at the Albany International Airport in Latham, used a Bambi bucket, which holds 660 gallons of water, to pick up water from the river and then release it, simulating a dump on a fire. The National Guard conducts Bambi bucket training regularly to practice lifting and flying with 5,400 pounds of water suspended below causing the helicopter to react differently.
The training exercise was part of a three-day exercise called Empire Challenge.
The exercise tested the New York Naval Militia’s boat operators, and the communications capabilities of the Naval Militia, the New York Guard-the states volunteer defense force- the New York National Guard, and the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
The exercise scenario was based on a multi-agency response to a major wildfire.
“Disasters, natural and manmade happen. We need the ability to communicate. It is the key component to facilitate the response to a disaster in an emergency,” explained Mike Carl, a radio engineer for the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
“If we can't talk to each other, we can't send the help that people need so we're practicing communications and we're honing our skills,” Carl added.
Members of the Naval Militia and New York Guard stood up the Naval Militias communication trailer for Empire Challenge. They were able to maintain consistent communication between the patrol boats and the New York Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, according to Naval Militia Capt. Don McKnight, the commander of MEBS.
The “synergy” taking place in the communications between the patrol boats, the Naval Militia command trailer and the New York Guard communication team was impressive, McKnight said.
“Members from both components worked seamlessly together throughout the entire exercise,” McKnight added.
The state Department of Homeland Security deployed their command center to the state park to participate in the operation.
Two New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Rangers flew in the UH-60, to help direct the water drop. The Rangers and the
Army aircrew train regularly for firefighting missions.
Involving all these agencies at the same time to make sure that we can all “mesh” in times of crisis, explained Rear Adm., Michael Perry, the commander, of the New York Naval Militia.
The crew aboard the landing craft loaded and offloaded the Rangers ATVs at the park boat ramp. An amphibious vehicle, belonging to the Schodack Landing Fire Company loaded and unloaded at the boat ramp, and also drove on to the landing craft while it was afloat.
“We’re learning some things that we never realized that we could do,” said Perry, referring to landing craft missions.
“Despite numerous challenges in the exercise planning process, the end result has been quite remarkable,” McKnight said.
“The Schodack Island State Park location turned out to be convenient and practical for us, as well as having superlative hosts who made us feel very welcome,” he added.
