Emergency Responders Prepare for the Vanguard 23-2 Exercise

Local, state and federal personnel and equipment lined up on North David Street by Fire Station No. 1 on Tuesday morning, while other response teams were preparing elsewhere in Natrona County for a week-long series of disaster events.

The Wyoming National Guard is overseeing the first-responding agencies to test their coordination, capabilities and communications in the exercise dubbed "Vigilant Guard 23-2."

Casper Fire-EMS engineer and spokesman Toph Steinhoff said the individual events are more than just what local agencies could do.

But he and many of those involved with Vigilant Guard 23-2 didn't know to what they would be called to, Steinhoff said. "We'll just have to roll with the punches."

Residents can keep tabs on the exercises by visiting the Facebook websites of the Natrona County Emergency Management, Casper Fire-EMS, and the Natrona County Fire District.