HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230324KEMA.pdfDEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR
MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR
News Release
For Immediate Release: March 24, 2023
COUNTY OF KAUA‘I
KAUA‘I EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
ELTON USHIO, ADMINISTRATOR
(808) 241-1800
Officials complete full-scale, Multi-Agency Search And Rescue Exercise Thursday
LĪHU‘E – In partnership with the United States Coast Guard, first responders and officials with
the County of Kaua‘i completed a full-scale, Multi-Agency Search And Rescue Exercise (SAREX) at the
Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor and the surrounding area on Thursday.
“The general scenario today is an overdue vessel that didn’t make it back,” said USCG Chief
Petty Officer Timothy Elhajj. “This scenario allows all the county, state, local, federal, and Coast Guard to
practice search and rescue.”
Participating in the exercise included the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Kaua‘i Emergency
Management Agency (KEMA), Kaua‘i Fire Department (KFD), Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD), Ocean
Safety Bureau (OSB), Civil Air Patrol, and Kaua‘i Search and Rescue (KSAR).
Assets, including jet skis, boats, helicopters, and cadaver dogs, were deployed to search for
three missing individuals in today’s exercise.
“It’s always good for our response partners to keep their skills sharp and practice multi-agency
coordination,” said KEMA Program Support Technician Sky Asio. “KEMA’s involvement in this exercise
was primarily with planning and coordination. However, in a real-world multi-agency search scenario,
KEMA’s Emergency Operations Center could be activated upon request by the Incident Commander or
Unified Command, and our team would support our field responders.”
Partnering agencies roamed land, air, and sea in search of missing mannequins placed in
strategic locations along the south shore.
“These types of exercise are important because they prepare us for real scenarios,” said Ocean
Safety Bureau Chief Kalani Vierra. “I hope we can do more of these exercises and practice different
scenarios in the future.”
Volunteers with Kaua‘i Search and Rescue, an organization dedicated to search and rescue
training and education, conducted a practice shoreline search and areas in the water near shore.
“This exercise showcases the presence of all the collaborating agencies on the island,” said KSAR
Search Management Specialist Sarah Loux. “Having a volunteer agency involved allows the community
to participate and lend a helping hand.”
For more information about the exercise, please contact KEMA at 808-241-1800 or
KEMA@kauai.gov.
You may view video on https://www.facebook.com/CountyofKauai.
Photo caption: Ocean Bureau Safety personnel participate in Multi-Agency Search And Rescue Exercise
(SAREX) at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor and the surrounding area on Thursday.
Photo caption: Participating in the exercise included the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Kaua‘i
Emergency Management Agency (KEMA), Kaua‘i Fire Department (KFD), Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD),
Ocean Safety Bureau (OSB), Civil Air Patrol, and Kaua‘i Search and Rescue (KSAR).
Photo caption: Volunteers with Kaua‘i Search and Rescue, an organization dedicated to search and
rescue training and education, and KPD personnel conducted a practice shoreline search and areas in
the water near shore.
Photo caption: Partnering agencies roamed land, air, and sea in search of missing mannequins placed
in strategic locations along the south shore.
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