BIRDSPRINGS, Ariz. — The Birdsprings Chapter of the Navajo Nation, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Silver Jackets program, hosted its inaugural virtual and in-person flood response tabletop exercise May 30 in Birdsprings, Arizona.
“This is the first tribal-led interagency team in the country,” said Chris Stanton, Los Angeles District lead planner and Silver Jackets’ program manager. “The purpose of the tabletop exercise was to test the emergency action plan the Silver Jackets’ team developed with the Birdsprings (Tsidi To’ii) community of the Navajo Nation.”
The plan consists of emergency flood response, evacuation and sheltering procedures; assesses flood risk and community preparedness; and provides information on resource allocation and mitigation measures.
The exercise assisted the team with understanding strengths of the plan and addressing any improvements needed prior to the start of monsoon season,” said Stanton, a graduate of Indiana State University’s human and environmental systems, and sustainability programs.
Birdsprings’ last significant flood event was in March 2023, where USACE provided emergency flood-fighting support under Public Law 84-99.
“From my experience, we started this relationship with Chris Stanton, and he has been really good at providing updates, information, providing input and being the point person – really doing the work,” said Mitzi Begay, Birdsprings Chapter president. “I feel like they are using their knowledge and experience to push us in the right direction to help the community as a whole.”
The Silver Jackets Program brings local, tribal, state and federal agencies together to address flood risk and other natural hazards. It consists of state- and tribal-led interagency teams to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for flood-risk management and enhancing community preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery efforts.
“This was the Navajo Nation Silver Jackets team’s first tabletop exercise and was the result of several years of collaboration and trust-building with the Birdsprings community and the Navajo Nation,” Stanton said. “By leveraging the unique resources and expertise of each partner, the program aims to deliver cohesive, efficient and sustainable solutions tailored to state and tribal priorities.”
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