Disaster team practising at CFB Trenton and in Prince Edward County

By Tara Henley

BELLEVILLE – A disaster-response exercise involving the Canadian military is taking place locally over the next few days.

Members of the 1st Canadian Division Headquarters based out of Kingston will be conducting a Disaster Assistance Response Team exercise from now until March 10.

The drills began Monday and are being held at Canadian Forces Base Trenton and the southern part of Prince Edward County. Residents can expect to see military personnel present in uniform during the exercise, which is a practice in dealing with a humanitarian disaster.

The DART is a military organization designed to deploy anywhere worldwide on short notice to deal with humanitarian disasters. The team is equipped to conduct emergency relief operations for up to approximately 40 days until national agencies are prepared to provide long-term help.