Philipsburg:--- The hurricane exercise is schedule to begin on Thursday and will last until Sunday September 5 the 32nd infantry company of the Netherlands Marine Corps participates in the yearly Hurricane Exercise on St. Maarten. During this exercise, realistic scenarios are presented to train the marines for any kind of emergency or disaster during the 2010 hurricane season.
The first two days of the exercise the marines will conduct surveys of the shelters, their reachableness and possible alternative routes. Also they will set up a command post that will need to maintain contact with the shelters, re-establish contact with governmental institutions directly after the hurricane and coordinate the actions the marines have to take after the passage. As of Friday various serials will take place all over the island. During the simulated passing of the hurricane, the marines will spend the night in the shelters to maintain order, dealing with injured and scared people. The days following the marines will conduct foot patrols to do damage assessment and will be confronted by a group of angry citizens demanding food, water and shelter in a riot control exercise.
During the Hurricane Exercise also the St. Maarten Voluntary Corps VKS personnel, members of the Aruba Militia, Red Cross medical personnel and the fire-department are part of the different serials.
We would like to invite the press for the coverage of this important exercise. This is possible at Friday September 3, 13.30 PM at Mullet Bay.