MHA community trains on incident command system

Community members and first responders with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation participated in an Incident Command System training hosted by the tribe’s Emergency Operations Center, according to reporting by KFYR-TV. The system is used to organize response efforts and improve communication during emergencies.

Marle Baker, chief of the Mandaree Volunteer Fire Department, said the system was used during the Bear Den fire of 2024 to coordinate more than 200 responders. Baylee Thomas, a rescue operations specialist, said the system outlines roles needed for an incident to run efficiently and is used by police, ambulances and firefighters. She said the training also supports the tribe’s recently created search and rescue team and helps prepare community members and staff on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Roughly a couple dozen people attended the session in person or virtually, and Thomas said the training is offered annually.