U.S. Coast Guard, Kauaʻi County to conduct exercise at Kukuiʻula Small Boat Harbor

The United States Coast Guard and the County of Kaua‘i will participate in a full-scale, multi-agency search and rescue exercise on March 23 at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor and the surrounding area.

“The exercise aims to ensure that Kaua‘i’s first responders, federal partners and non-governmental organizations will be fully prepared and well-coordinated for search and rescue operations,” said Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency.

Participating in the exercise: Coast Guard, Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, Kaua‘i Fire Department, Kaua‘i Police Department, Ocean Safety Bureau, Civil Air Patrol, and Kaua‘i Search and Rescue.

The multi-agency exercise is a designed opportunity to practice interagency operations, communication procedures and overall coordination.

“Additionally, these full-scale exercises allow us to evaluate notification and response procedures between agencies, strengthening our interoperability during actual search and rescue incidents,” said Charles Turner, command duty officer, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. 

“The Coast Guard and our partners have recently responded to several major search and rescue missions on the Island of Kaua‘i. These exercises are significant training opportunities and ensure we continue to operate as well as possible together as a team of responders in serving the people and County of Kaua‘i.”

The exercise will run from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Officials ask for the public’s cooperation by staying clear of any noticeable or marked areas and exercise-related vehicles, equipment and personnel.

For more information about the exercise, please contact the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency at 808-241-1800 or KEMA@kauai.gov.