Coordinated Exercise Tests Preparedness
In conjunction with the 2009 hurricane season, which began on June 1 and runs through November 30, and as part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration's efforts to ensure the state is prepared in the event of a hurricane, the Hawai`i National Guard conducted its annual hurricane exercise.
Members of the Hawai`i National Guard treat a patient during the simulation at Kahuku Medical Center.
This year's exercise, Makani Pahili, took place from June 1-5 and simulated a Category 4 hurricane hitting the island of O`ahu, killing 130 people and injuring 2,000 within the first 48 hours.
Representatives from the Pentagon, FEMA and the American Red Cross, as well as National Guard units from California, gathered at the Emergency Operations Center and Hawai`i Convention Center to test coordinated response efforts.
Part of Makani Pahili included a scenario at Kahuku Medical Center, which brought together 300 personnel who focused on the alert and activation of the Hawai`i National Guard, establishing relationships with appropriate government and community entities, coordinating activities with Kahuku Medical Center during post-landfall operations and sustaining operations under a unified command.
During this training exercise, volunteers from the community acted as casualties and were sent through triage stations set up in tents on the grounds fronting the Kahuku Medical Center.
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"Preparing for a hurricane," Honolulu Advertiser, June 5, 2009
