Wisconsin National Guard plans disaster training exercise

MADISON — People in Monroe and Juneau counties can expect to see more military vehicles on the road and aircraft overhead this week as the Wisconsin National Guard runs a massive disaster training exercise.

The exercise, dubbed Patriot North, is set to begin Monday and run through Thursday at Volk Field in Camp Douglas and Fort McCoy in Tomah.

The training is designed to help civilian emergency management officials and first responders coordinate with the military in a host of disaster scenarios including high winds, evacuations and a storm surge collapsing buildings and causing mass casualties.

The training will involve more than 700 civilians, volunteers and military personnel from more than 20 states.