CNIC prepares for upcoming hurricane season

"Since HURREX 07 is a full-spectrum event flexing our installation and family disaster preparedness, testing personnel accountability from Texas to Maine and all states and installations in between, and exposing as many individuals as possible to the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System, its important for all commands to stay alert to naval administration (NavAdmin) messages and related emails pertaining to this exercise," said Capt. Ray Pietrzak, CNIC disaster preparedness officer. "There will be several instances for the requirement to muster and account for all Navy family members in the declared affected areas as three simulated hurricanes will be generated and moving through the entire eastern seaboard."

The exercise is divided into two parts. The first part is the tracking and warning phase which will be conducted from April 23-May 4 and the second phase is the personnel accountability and family assessment phase which will be conducted April 23 to May 9.

A CFFC directive announcing the exercise said the HURREX 07 objective is to provide "a focused training event to afloat and shore-based commands with hurricane threat scenarios for use in exercising sortie, evacuation, emergency preparedness, personnel accountability, and recovery and consequence management procedures."

The HURREX phase will consist of four artificially constructed tropical systems that will develop and intensify to hurricane strength, threatening the Caribbean, East Coast and Gulf Coast regions.

Geographic areas of interest (GAOI's) will be established based on exercise storm tracks. As the storms threaten installations, at various times there will be multiple GAOI's established, installation commanding officers will be required to set conditions of readiness in their geographic area and all commands will be required to confirm status and whereabouts of their personnel for each area separately, said Pietrzak.

As the exercise storms approach each geographic area, Chief of Naval Operations N1 will release a NavAdmin order to account for personnel based on the GAOI and designate a start time for personnel accountability and family assessment procedures. Each GAOI will be available in the electronic muster tool at the start time listed for 72 hours or three working days.

As for the personnel accountability phase during a real or full week exercise, a goal of full (100 percent) accountability for all assigned personnel in a declared affected area is CNIC's overall expectation, according to Pietrzak.

CNIC recently held it own accountability exercise "Citadel Personnel Accountability 07-1" Citadel generated more than 160 lessons learned ranging from using Bupers Online, Disaster Management Tool, Navy Reserve accountability issues, to how to accomplish 100 percent accountability for all of the Navy family members in an affected area. Continuous improvement was shown in this exercise, as an overall accountability of 97.6 percent was achieved in the five-day exercise, with more than148,000 personnel assigned in the two regions, according to Pietrzak.

CNIC is preparing a new Navy-wide public awareness campaign entitled "Operation Prepare," according to Pietrzak. "CNIC is launching a public awareness campaign this spring to encourage individual and family preparedness for all types of natural and man-made emergencies. Staying informed, developing a plan, and making an emergency kit is the theme of this initiative, so that all personnel will be prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. Information packets will be strategically located at Personnel Support Detachments, commissaries, base housing offices and Fleet and Family Support Centers." There are three main themes to remember for family emergency preparedness, added Pietrzak. "Be informed, have a plan and make a kit."