LIHUE, Hawaii — The County of Kauai is asking for the public’s cooperation on Thursday when a full-scale, multi-agency search and rescue exercise takes place from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor and surrounding areas.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials asking for the public to stay clear of Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor; surrounding, marked areas; and exercise-related vehicles, equipment and personnel throughout the training period

  • Contact KEMA at 808-241-1800 or kema@kauai.gov for more information on the exercise  

“We are grateful to the participating agencies for dedicating their time and expertise in this multi-agency exercise,”  Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said in a news release. “Mahalo to our partners with the U.S. Coast Guard, our county first responders and officials, and everyone involved for your efforts that will better prepare our island and people during unforeseen events.”

The exercise is being held in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and will include the Kauai Emergency Management Agency, Kauai Fire Department, Kauai Police Department, Ocean Safety Bureau, Civil Air Patrol and Kauai Search and Rescue.

“The Coast Guard and other federal, state, county and local partners coordinate search and rescue exercises throughout the Hawaiian Islands, which are designed opportunities to practice interagency operations, communication procedures, and overall coordination,” said Charles Turner, command duty officer, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. 

“Additionally, these full-scale exercises allow us to evaluate notification and response procedures between agencies, strengthening our interoperability during actual search and rescue incidents. The Coast Guard and our partners have recently responded to several major search and rescue missions on the island of Kauai. These exercises are significant training opportunities and ensure we continue to operate as well as possible together as a team of responders in serving the people and County of Kauai.”

Officials ask for the public to stay clear of Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor; surrounding, marked areas; and exercise-related vehicles, equipment and personnel throughout the training period.

More information on the exercise is available by contacting KEMA at 808-241-1800 or kema@kauai.gov.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.