A group of around 120 Royal Dutch Marines and the navy ship HMS Pelican, are till September 7th at the Windward Islands for their annual training, the Hurricane Exercise. During this exercise, realistic scenarios are presented to train the marines for any kind of emergency or disaster during the 2011 hurricane season. This is one of the main tasks of the Royal Dutch Navy in the Caribbean.
On the 2nd of September the whole unit will travel on board of the Pelican from Saba and St. Eustatius to Sint Maarten for the actual Hurricane Exercise (HUREX). During this exercise, realistic scenarios are presented to train the Marines for any kind of emergency or disaster during the 2011 hurricane season.
The Hurricane Exercise is intended to familiarize the Marines with the situation in the Windward Islands, know the locations of the hurricane shelters and know the partners in the disaster management system. This will assist the Marines to prepare themselves in the event they will have to render assistance in the event of a hurricane threat to the islands. The HUREX is prepared annually in close cooperation with the local disaster management organizations.
The period until the 2nd of September is being used for practical classes and to familiarize the participants with the islands. The internal communication system is tested on Saba and Sint Eustatius. On Friday afternoon (September 2nd), the actual hurricane simulation will commence. Some shelters will be manned on Sint Maarten. Members of the VKS, the Fire Department and the Red Cross will assist the Marines in the shelter. In the event of an actual hurricane situation, these entities will also cooperate together. After the passage of the simulated hurricane different scenarios will be organized on several locations on the whole island to which the marines have to respond.