Latest news with #EmpireChallenge
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'Empire Challenge' hits the water in Youngstown
The New York Naval Militia and New York Guard members conducted emergency response exercises Thursday on the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario, alongside the Coast Guard and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. On Thursday, four New York State Police divers jumped from a State Police helicopter into the lower Niagara River just off of Fort Niagara. The exercise was an alternative method of deploying divers into the water for the purpose of recovering people or evidence from the water. The two days of exercises, named 'Empire Challenge' were centered on Coast Guard Station Niagara and Fort Niagara State Park. The New York Naval Militia was also planning to conduct drone operations during the training. Unmanned aerial systems, or drones, will be launched on reconnaissance missions. 'Exercise Empire Challenge, is primarily an emergency communications event,' said Capt. Don McKnight, the commander of the Naval Militia's Military Emergency Boat Service. earlier this week. 'The exercise allows us to test new capabilities and functions alongside our many law enforcement and first responder partners,' he added. The New York Naval Militia is a 3,200- member force of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard reservists who also volunteer to serve in the state force. The Naval Milita operates a fleet of 11 patrol boats in the Military Emergency Boat Service.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Empire Challenge helps agencies practice collaboration
LEWISTON, N.Y. (WIVB) — Local, state, and federal agencies are conducting emergency response exercises on the Niagara River and Lake Ontario on June 5 and 6 during the 'Empire Challenge.' The New York Naval Militia does these exercises typically once or twice a year in the Hudson River or at Seneca Lake — however, this time, they chose to use the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. 'Here you'll have several knots of water moving, you have the turbulence upriver where the power system is. So operating in that area is much more difficult. So it's the environmental piece, but also it's the border piece,' said Jay Dutcher, the operations officer of the New York Naval Militia. 'Illegal narcotics is a huge issue, so we're here with the Border Patrol as well and to integrate with them and to learn what their role is.' 'Along the international border, there's always smuggling occurring. It's people, it's narcotics, it's weapons, these things happen. Luckily for us in Niagara County, it is not an everyday occurrence; it's not something that's happening constantly, but the threat is always there,' said Brady Waikel, patrol agent in charge of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 'We have to remain vigilant, we have to remain prepared to counter those when they happen.' Agencies participated in training scenarios of water rescues, diving exercises, stopping smuggling of narcotics, testing communication platforms, and more. This year, the Swedish Armed Forces were also involved. 'They're very concerned of the threat of the East from them, from frankly Russia, so they're concerned of that. So they're trying to integrate more closely with the U.S. and they are partnered with New York State in a program called the state partnership program that's run through the National Guard Bureau,' said Dutcher. 'In times like this, it's important to see forward and not lose time because together we are strong,' said Patrik Mattsson, chief of staff of a Swedish Marine Regiment. 'When I come here, I see actually the seamless working between different levels — the state, the federal as well as between the fire department, police department and the army and the naval militia, and that's a (takeaway) for me to bring home.' Though the exercises were all simulations, the practices help build the collaboration between all the agencies in case an emergency occurs. 'Honestly, it makes me feel really good to know the preparedness that we have here in the event that something does happen,' said Jonathan Schultz, fire coordinator and director of emergency services for Niagara County. Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New York Naval Militia to conduct exercises on Niagara River, Lake Ontario
Thirty-five New York Naval Militia and New York Guard members will be conducting an emergency response exercise Thursday and Friday on the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario, alongside the Coast Guard and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The exercise named 'Empire Challenge,' will be centered on Coast Guard Station Niagara and Fort Niagara State Park. The joint training exercise scenario is built around supporting law enforcement authorities working to stop drug smuggling by boat from Canada to the U.S. The exercise participants will test their ability to communicate and respond to emergencies including a person in the water and a boat fire. The drill will involve testing a wide range of communication platforms. The New York Naval Militia will also be conducting drone operations during the training. Unmanned aerial systems, or drones, will be launched on reconnaissance missions. 'Exercise Empire Challenge, is primarily an emergency communications event,' said Capt. Don McKnight, the commander of the Naval Militia's Military Emergency Boat Service. 'The exercise allows us to test new capabilities and functions alongside our many law enforcement and first responder partners,' he added. The New York Naval Militia is a 3,200- member force of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard reservists who also volunteer to serve in the state force. The Naval Milita operates a fleet of 11 patrol boats in the Military Emergency Boat Service. The New York Guard is a small totally volunteer state defense force whose members augment the New York National Guard during emergencies. Both the New York Naval Milita and the New York Guard are components of the New York Military Forces alongside the New York Army and Air National Guard. The training scenario allows the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard to improve their ability to operate with the US Coast Guard, and state and local law enforcement agencies. The New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is also involved in the joint training. 'Each year, we have improved our ability to respond to various contingencies, to work out the kinks in our systems, and plan for future opportunities,' McKnight said. In addition, a delegation from the Swedish Navy will be observing the exercise. The New York National Guard has a State Partnership Program training and exchange relationship with the Swedish military. 'We are especially delighted this year with our budding relationship with the Swedish Navy through the State Partnership Program,' McKnight said, adding, 'The Swedish Navy's participation in this exercise on the Niagara Frontier will further solidify that relationship.' 'Exercise Empire Challenge demonstrates the benefit of New York being the only state in the nation with the ability to activate U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reservists to State Active Duty in support of the New York National Guard,' said Rear Admiral Michael Perry, the commander of the New York Naval Militia.
