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Hurlburt Field Airmen Survive Hurricane

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Hurlburt Field personnel successfully completed hurricane and familiarization training for the newly-introduced HURCON five condition during the annual hurricane exercise May 21 to 22 here.

Hurlburt Field is scheduled to enter HURCON 5, representing the lowest level of alert for the duration of the 2013 hurricane season June 1 through Nov. 30.

"We want to let the people who haven't lived in Florida to take hurricane season seriously, and begin preparing if you haven't started yet," said Col. Douglas Dudley, 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group commander. "We're going through the checklist during this exercise and just making sure that everyone here, new and old, is familiar with what needs to happen in case of an actual hurricane."

HUREX is an annual training event, providing accountability of tenant units and facilitating interagency communication between first responders and Hurlburt Field personnel.

During the exercise, personnel simulated conditions and responses to mock hurricanes beginning with HURCON 5, followed by other conditions calling for mock evacuation of personnel from the area.

Along with HURCON 5, adjustments such as 24 hours of slack are being added to each condition throughout the Air Force.

"The benefit of the new hurricane conditions is that it gives us more time," Dudley said. "The Air Force added 24 hours to each of the hurricane conditions to allow us more time to prepare and evacuate during the possibility of a hurricane."
 
Units supporting emergency base functions assembled at the emergency operations center for the duration of the exercise. Other units were tasked with ensuring accountability for all personnel.

"Accountability is a challenge, especially at the beginning of the season," Dodley said. "Members need to update their contact information in [unit accountability rosters]."

For more information on the new procedures and HUREX 2013, contact Lt. Col. Ronald Fey, 1st Special Operations Wing inspector general, at (850) 884-4439.