Cross-border emergency exercise strengthens U.S.–Canada response coordination

When an emergency incident occurs along the U.S. and Canadian border, quick coordination and clear communication between agencies are crucial.

Last week, on Oct. 8, first responders, search and rescue personnel, members from Cook County Emergency Management, Grand Portage Emergency Management, state agencies, and multiple Canadian agencies came together to put that collaboration and coordination to the test in a simulated exercise.

Nearly 50 individuals participated in the exercise along the Pigeon River, which involved a cross-border search and rescue operation for a hiker who had broken their leg in Grand Portage State Park.

The Wednesday exercise included search and rescue ground crews and drones to locate the injured hiker. Once the hiker was found, the Minnesota Air Rescue Team (MART) was dispatched to the scene to extract the hiker in a rescue basket.  

MART specializes in rescue and extraction of individuals from remote locations that are not easily accessible by ground or water or “pose excessive risk to rescuers,” according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Simulated exercise with MART crew and first responders | Photo by Ruth Vogel

The exercise is part of an ongoing effort by the Pigeon River International Emergency Management Committee to strengthen response strategies and logistics and improve interoperability communications. The committee, formed in 2011, comprises Cook County and Grand Portage officials and Canadian partners.

One of the main objectives of the cross-border exercise was to test the radio communication capabilities of first responders and emergency crews between Canada and the U.S.

The exercise went “really, really well,” said Ruth Vogel, Grand Portage Emergency Management Director. The radios used by emergency management on the U.S. side of the border during the exercise were able to connect with the ambulance and fire rescue crews in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

One of the logistical lessons learned during the simulated event was the delay in response time for an ambulance from Thunder Bay to cross the border for emergencies in Grand Portage.

“It was one of our catch points during this exercise, as our Canadian partners were not able to get across the border as fast as we would have hoped,” Vogel said.

Vogel said that following the exercise, some potential solutions to improve border crossing timeliness have been identified, including having ambulance crews’ identification stored on file for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. “There are a couple of different ideas we’ve explored to get a list of those identities to the border beforehand.”

First responder participants with MART helicopter

The exercise is an important learning and training opportunity for emergency officials on both sides of the border because, “It’s not if something’s going to happen, it’s more of when,” said Mike Keyport, the Cook County Emergency Management Director.

The Grand Portage State Park is a popular destination to view numerous waterfalls along the Pigeon River. With high visitor activity in the summer and fall months, Keyport said, agencies on both sides of the border have to be prepared for a potential emergency.

Vogel said as an emergency management director, the collaboration between the multiple U.S. and Canadian agencies is “really valuable to be able to know that we can have that connection and that they’re willing to work with us and help us out when we need it.”

Cook County Administrator Kristen Trebil-Halbersma attended the emergency meeting and exercise activities last Wednesday. During the Oct. 14 board of commissioners’ meeting, she said it was “phenomenal” to participate in the emergency meeting and observe the simulated exercise.

“It was an impressive coordination of resources,” said County Commissioner Deb White during the Oct. 14 meeting.

Emergency meeting with officials from Cook County, Grand Portage, and Canadian agencies | Photo by Ruth Vogel

Looking ahead, Vogel said there are discussions yet to be had with the Canadian partners about how the new Grand Portage Coast Guard boat will factor into emergency response near the border. The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa recently launched an Indigenous-led Coast Guard, and in less than 24 hours, the boat was used to rescue a disabled vessel between Grand Portage and Isle Royale.

Vogel said the recent addition of the coast guard boat to use for Lake Superior rescues is a “huge benefit” to the North Shore.

Grand Portage rescue vessel Genawaaboonagak | Photo by Chuck Olsen

Grand Portage is actively recruiting for search and rescue volunteers for land or marine emergencies. “Anyone who lives within proximity to Grand Portage,” Vogel said.

“We are looking for more search and rescue folks to add to our team,” Vogel said. Interested individuals can apply here.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Cook County Emergency Management Director Mike Keyport and Grand Portage Emergency Management Director Ruth Vogel about the Oct. 8 cross-border exercise and more. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins October 15, 2025