Joint Task Force Central conducts emergency response exercise, Ex TRILLIUM VENTURE
May 31, 2024 - Defence Stories
By Author Names, Unit: Lieutenant Kyle Donnelly, Public Affairs Officer (PAO)
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A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Chinook CH-147 from 450 Squadron (Sqn) hovers over Explorer’s Point Park in Mattawa, Ont. for Exercise TRILLIUM VENTURE on Saturday May 4, 2024. From May 3 to May 5, 31, 32, and 33 Territorial Battalion Groups (31 TBG, 32 TBG, and 33 TBG) practiced their coordination in working with provincial partners in responding to natural emergencies.
Photo credit: MCpl Jim Saunders, 22 Wing North Bay Public Affairs
A contingent of approximately 1,500 members from Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) participated in Exercise TRILLIUM VENTURE across Ontario from May 3-5, 2024. In anticipation of an Operation LENTUS – the contingency Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operation providing emergency support following requests for federal assistance (RFA) from local and provincial governments – Ex TRILLIUM VENTURE aimed to prepare JTFC to conduct a unified, rapid response with local, regional, and other community partners in the case of an RFA. This year, 31, 32, and 33 Territorial Battalion Groups (TBG) – all featuring members of the Canadian Army Reserve, Naval Reserve (NAVRES), and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) under the command of JTFC – trained within a wide range of environments, from small-town communities, through dense woods, and to the shores of major waterways.
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Soldiers from 31 Canadian Brigade Group practices conduct SP100-M forest fire fighting training on Exercise Trillium Venture, an exercise focused on expanding skill sets needed for responding to domestic emergencies and natural disasters, in Blyth, Ontario.
Photo credit: Cpl Justin Dreimanis (4 Cdn Div Public Affairs)
The northeastern portion of the exercise began on Friday at Jack Garland Airport in North Bay and moved to Mattawa for the weekend. During the simulated flood scenario, members of 33 TBG with support from an RCAF Hercules aircraft from 436 Squadron delivered critical supplies such as a field kitchen and fresh water, and a CH-147 Chinook helicopter from 450 Sqn provided rapid supply of more critical materiel. 33 TBG worked with the local NAVRES unit conducting simulated Search and Rescue (SAR) operations along the waterways of the Mattawa River.
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Members of 32 TBG rehearse a wildfire management scenario with local civilian government organizations in a wooded area with varied terrain behind the old Wasaga Beach Arena, offering an ideal location to learn the complexities of wildfire management.
Photo credit: Cpl Jessie-Jordan Clemente (32 CBG Public Affairs)
The 31 TBG’s participants were distributed between two regions. In southwestern Ontario, the first contingent of 400 members conducted wellness checks in response to a simulated 13-day heat wave causing power outages, damage to infrastructure and homes, and water shortages in some communities. This area of responsibility was bordered by the towns of Goderich, Wingham, and Hensall. The remaining 400 personnel were spread north to Lion’s Head in Bruce County to simulate an extreme heat emergency. In Lion’s Head, 31 TBG members put their skills to practice in coordination with NAVRES units. They utilized rigid-hull inflatable boats to conduct shoreline launch and recovery site reconnaissance missions, reviews of search and rescue patterns, and establishment of mobile operation centres. The 32 TBG was headquartered in Borden, Ont. and had 200 of its troops in Wasaga Beach for a simulated wildfire exercise in partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police, Wasaga Beach Firefighters, and County of Simcoe paramedics.
The responses to casualty care, search and rescue, emergency evacuation offered great opportunities for collaboration between the organizations. This was echoed by Officer Commanding of B Company from the 48th Highlanders of Canada, Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Morische who emphasized that, “we need to make sure our people are trained and understand how to work with, communicate with, and help to augment civilian governments.”
The annual TRILLIUM series of exercises mark the end of JTFC’s training cycle. This series ensures that members of JTFC are equipped with the local knowledge to respond effectively and efficiently to future domestic crises and emergencies. In anticipation of the upcoming wildfire season, JTFC’s preparedness has now been validated.