The County of Kauai, in partnership with the Hawaii National Guard 93 Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, coordinated a full-scale, multi-agency emergency response that closed a portion of Nawiliwili Harbor on Thursday.
The group of agencies and departments, including the Kauai Police Department, the Kauai Emergency Management Agency, the Kauai Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and more, have been training in classrooms. On Thursday, they were at the harbor for a scenario that tested the material the crews have been working on, said a spokesperson from the Mayor’s Office. The final day of the week-long training is today.
The full-scale operation was part of the week-long training aimed at enhancing preparedness for hazardous materials incidents, and natural or man-made disasters.
“This kind of training brings our teams together under realistic conditions so we can strengthen the partnerships and protocols that protect our community,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami in an announcement from the Adjutant General. “Mahalo to all the agencies and personnel involved for your commitment to keeping Kauai and Niihau safe.”
The hazardous materials scenario, according to a staff member from the Department of Transportation, Harbors Division office, involved a worker discovering an unknown suspicious material in one of the shipping containers stored at the harbor. Further investigation could not determine the suspicious material, and instead led to the discovery of a container that had its door open and an operating generator providing power to the suspect shipping container.
“These exercises give our first responders an opportunity to sharpen critical skills and improve coordination across agencies,” said KEMA Administrator Elton Ushio. “The more we train together, the stronger, more effective, and more cohesive our response becomes during real-world events.”
Source: The Garden Island
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