 The high likelihood of an earthquake occurring in California is no secret. With the San Andreas Fault more than 150 years overdue, earthquake response is a capability that must be practiced and tested to ensure that our state is well prepared. For that very reason, the California National Guard and Nevada National Guard held Vigilant Guard, a large-scale earthquake response exercise supported by more than 1200 members from local, state, and federal agencies. The scenario for the exercise was set with an earthquake in Las Vegas, and two days later a major earthquake then strikes California along the San Andreas Fault, causing fires, hazardous material concerns, displacing millions, and causing thousands of injuries and deaths. Vigilant Guard practiced using air assets for transporting survivors and resources, rescuing the victims trapped in collapsed buildings, specially trained search dogs looking for survivors, commodity points of distribution, and teamwork among various agencies to keep California safe. Cal OES Fire and Rescue Branch participated in Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Team Mobilization Coordination Exercises. While California has some of the most highly trained first responders in the world, we must not overlook our individual responsibility to prepare for an emergency. Learn how you can prepare for a disaster at caloes.ca.gov. For OESNews.com, I'm Monica Vargas.