Macon-Bibb EMA teams up with National Guard for natural disaster training

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Lake Tobesofkee’s Sandy Beach Park shut down today for day two of natural disaster training. But training wasn’t your typical walk in the park.

“Law enforcement from both agencies are working together seamlessly to make sure they are trained and ready,” said Macon-Bibb EMA Director Spencer Hawkins.

The National Guard and Macon-Bibb’s Emergency Management Agency worked together to prepare for the next national disaster.

“When a disaster happens we need all hands on deck,” Hawkins continued.

On one of the coldest days of the year so far, it was a chance to strategize.

“We’re kind of integrating with each other to try and learn the different training styles and then hone them into one group so we can move as a cohesive unit,” said Sgt. Quatasia Mirigny of the National Guard.

Sgt. Quatasia Mirigny says they want to be more than prepared for the next Hurricane Matthew.

“We actually have had a hurricane and thank God the actual disaster portion of it wasn’t as out of control before for Matthew but what happens is a lot of people have evacuated the area and now they’re trying to get back in.”

Macon-Bibb residents played Angry citizens trying to get home in the scenario of another hurricane hitting.

“It’s very important that this sort of training happens before a disaster,” said Georgia State Defense Force’s Kerry Hatcher.

As a volunteer actor in the training scenario, Hatcher said practicing wasn’t just helpful to law enforcement.

“It helps being apart of these training because I would know what to do and where to go more than just reading about it online,” said Hatcher.

Even though the chilly weather doesn’t quite count as a disaster, Macon Bibb’s EMA Director Spencer Hawkins says they need to be prepared in every scenario.

“We may have to activate on an extremely cold day or an extremely hot day and we need to be prepared for all elements sot he weather is actually providing a really great training opportunity for us,” Spencer added.

It was also an opportunity to strengthen ties so they can better protect Macon residents.

The two day training was just a portion of a larger emergency preparedness initiative called ‘Vigilant Guard’.

It’s happening in cities across the nation and sponsored by the U.S. Northern Command and National Guard Bureau.