Practicing evacuation drills in regions of the country where wildfires are common is one example of how preparedness aids the Defense Department’s readiness mission. During rampant Colorado wildfires in summer 2012, the Colorado National Guard provided red-card certified aviators with other Guard members serving from units in Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska to fight fires. Also, communications troops provided an interoperability communications platform to reach multiple agencies, and military policemen assisted Colorado’s Larimer County Sheriff’s office with evacuations and aided in the protection of citizens and property during the High Park fire, June 21, 2012. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Jecca Geffre