RAPID CITY, S.D. – Custer County Search and Rescue has coordinated a training exercise for local agencies to respond in the event of a mass casualty scenario in a remote area southeast of Custer on Friday, May 3, 2024. It has been designed to test multiple agency communication equipment and processes with the goal to refine interagency procedures should there ever be a need for the response to a real-world scenario.
Key agencies participating in the joint effort are Custer County Search and Rescue, Custer County Sheriff’s Office, Custer Ambulance Service, Custer Hospital, U.S. Forest Service, Custer County Emergency Management, local and state dispatch, Black Hills Life Flight, and the South Dakota National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF).
The AASF and Black Hills Life Flight will provide air support for the exercise, pending aircraft availability and weather permitting. Expect to see increased Blackhawk and BH Life Flight helicopter presence.
In the event aircraft are unable to support the exercise, it will transition to ground team rescue operations just as they would in a real-world incident.
The public is advised to stay clear of the area between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm on May 3rd and are prohibited from the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (drone) in this area during the training exercise, as they pose a threat to aircraft personnel and will interfere and halt operations.
