Naval installations in the National Capital Region are gearing up for the annual Hurricane Exercise/Citadel Gale 2023 (HURREX/CG) from April 24 to May 5, 2023. This exercise prepares the Navy to respond to adverse weather conditions in US coastal regions and maintain the ability to deploy forces under severe conditions, while also testing response times for accounting for sailors, Department of Navy civilians, and families in affected regions through the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS).
Led by the US Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Navy Installations Command, this year’s HURREX/CG follows a particularly damaging hurricane season in 2022, which saw only 14 total storms and eight hurricanes but was still one of the costliest on record due to Hurricane Ian, which alone caused more than $113 billion in damage and was Florida’s deadliest hurricane since 1935. Exercises such as HURREX/CG aim to train installation staff in the specifics of storm readiness and response.
“The purpose of the HURREX/CG exercise is to prepare our personnel for the impacts of a destructive weather event such as a hurricane,” explained Capt. Derrick Kingsley, NAS Patuxent River commanding officer. “And just like our security exercises, the primary goal is to maintain the safety of personnel in the event of an emergency. The moment disaster strikes is never the time to figure out how to respond, so we train like fight.”
Conducted over a two-week period, the first week of the exercise includes tracking the storm system’s evolution along the US Atlantic coast, simulating upgrades to the installation’s Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR). Other planned simulations include ship sorties, aircraft evacuations, base evacuations, and disaster preparedness/response. The second week shifts focus to recovery procedures, including lifting evacuation orders, reopening installations, and conducting damage assessments.
NAS Patuxent River will also incorporate impacts to power infrastructure on base by combining HURREX/CG with a Black Start exercise, an Energy Resilience Readiness Exercise (ERRE).
“A Black Start Exercise, per the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act is ‘an exercise in which commercial utility power at the installation is dropped before backup generation assets start,'” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Hill, NAS Patuxent River Public Works Division operations officer. “Overall, it is a real-world test of our backup power generation assets to determine if we can conduct critical missions in a prolonged power outage environment.”
Hill explained that a controlled power outage lasting 2- to 4-hours is scheduled for a majority of operational areas on base to accurately test the likely scenario of power/electrical impacts during and following a destructive storm.
Base leadership is working with leadership from other commands at Pax River to ensure minimal impact is felt as installation staff train during these exercises.
“Early communication with our mission partners is critical, as we saw with our latest Citadel Shield/Solid Curtain Exercise,” said Kingsley. “We want everyone at Pax River to know what to expect during a base-wide power outage. We have systems in place to mitigate impacts; however, there are areas for improvement, and we intend to execute the Black Start exercise to better understand our systems and strive to make our installation more resilient in the event of an actual power outage.”
Anticipated impacts as part of the Black Start exercise are traffic as Pax River Security personnel respond to traffic light outages, as well as some network and Test mission delays. The majority of housing areas, the Navy Exchange, Commissary, Clinic, and Child Development Centers will not be affected by the planned power outage to minimize impacts on Navy families on base.
While HURREX/CG helps to determine if there are any areas where the region or the installation can improve their ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, personnel are encouraged to take charge of their own preparation and planning. Integral to this is keeping information up to date in the Navy Family and Accountability System (NFAAS) and reviewing storm preparedness guidelines from resources such as www.ready.navy.mil or www.ready.gov.
“NFAAS is an essential resource for locating Navy personnel and family members during a crisis or natural disaster to ensure they’re safe,” said Kingsley. “And the resources available to our Navy families to help them prepare for a disaster can literally save their lives in a disaster.”
To register with NFAAS, visit https://navyfamily.navy.mil.
The Navy’s HURREX/CG exercise is a vital aspect of maintaining the readiness of the Navy to respond to natural disasters in US coastal regions. The 2022 hurricane season, despite having fewer storms and hurricanes than previous years, was a costly reminder of the need for preparedness. The HURREX/CG exercises help the Navy maintain personnel’s safety during times of crisis by providing installation staff with the specific training needed for storm readiness and response.
This year’s exercise will be held over a two-week period and will focus on tracking the storm system’s evolution along the US Atlantic coast in the first week and recovery procedures in the second week. The exercise will also include a Black Start exercise to test the backup power generation assets to determine if the base can conduct critical missions in a prolonged power outage environment.
While the Navy is taking steps to ensure the readiness of installations in the event of a natural disaster, personnel are also encouraged to take charge of their own preparation and planning. The NFAAS is an essential resource for locating Navy personnel and family members during a crisis or natural disaster to ensure their safety, and the resources available to Navy families to help them prepare for a disaster can save lives in times of crisis.
As the HURREX/CG exercise approaches, installation staff and personnel alike are reminded to take storm preparedness seriously and to do their part in maintaining readiness and safety during times of crisis.