State Partnership Program

Video by Staff Sgt. Drake Chandler

Michigan National Guard Participate in Operation Safe Harbor 2023

Michigan National Guard

Sept. 8, 2023 | 1:14

U.S. Army Michigan National Guard Soldiers, in cooperation with the Mackinac County Office of Emergency Management, participate in Operation Safe Harbor 2023, a simulated exercise for the mass evacuation of civilian personnel, on Mackinac Island, Mich., September 7, 2023.

The 1437th Engineer Company, based out of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., built a floating port (bridge) utilizing bridge erection boats (BEBs) for the simulated evacuation of Mackinac Island where the current ports would not be able to be accessed.

CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Detachment 1, Company B, 238th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., conducted sling load operations, bringing bridge sections to the engineer company for assembly.

The exercise is intended to evaluate the Mackinac Island evacuation plan established by the Mackinac County Emergency Management team in conjunction with federal, state, and local emergency response teams.

Operation Safe Harbor 23 is the first ever exercise of this type to be executed in Michigan. The exercise included 18 emergency response partners included FEMA, Michigan State Police, Mackinac County Sheriff's Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and more. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Drake Chandler).