 When disaster strikes in California, the California National Guard is always ready. Whether it's fires, floods, or earthquakes, the Cal Guard is capable of handling almost any emergency situation. A massive force of skill, specialized training, state-of-the-art equipment, and the ability to mobilize quickly, the Cal Guard is part of California's emergency response backbone. We train year-round to be ready as well for emergency response. So we're not only training for combat as our role is Army and Air Force Guardsmen, but we're also training on how we're going to respond to floods, search and rescue, wildfires. The Golden State is no stranger to disaster. It was an epic start to 2017 with record amounts of rain and snow up and down the state. While the rainfall was welcomed, more rain meant more danger. This past February, an 81-year-old Plumas County resident found himself in a dangerous situation when he was swept into fast-moving waters. Fortunately, the California National Guard was there and saved the endangered man's life. Man clings to Guardsmen as they are lifted from a rushing flood. Chief Foreign Officer Sylvester Wilson is part of the team that trains for these type of rescue operations all throughout the year. It's a great feeling to save a life. We are here for the people of California. The Cal Guard remained busy and engaged throughout the winter on missions supporting the effects of winter rains. And now here we are in the middle of fire season, and it's been a busy one with nearly 3,000 fires thus far, and we are barely in July. Monstrous fires threatening life and property have already called upon the Cal Guard's air-tangers and helicopters to help battle the flames. We don't know what the next disaster will be or when it will strike, but we do know that the California National Guard is always ready and always there.