The U.S. Coast Guard, Hawai’i County Fire Department, Hawaiʻi Ocean Safety, and the  Department of Land and Natural Resources will conduct a search and rescue exercise off Kawaihae on Thursday, September 12.

The exercise will take place on the water and in the air off Kawaihae Harbor from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with Coast Guard and partner agencies working together to test and evaluate interagency communications, response plans and responders’ actions during a simulated exercise of missing mariners.

Access may be limited to LSD Landing in Kawaihae while the Coast Guard and partner agencies establish an incident command post at this location during the exercise.

During the search and rescue exercise, multiple agencies’ assets will be launched, and multiple mannequins, which are used to simulate a person in the water, will be placed to simulate search objects. Members of the public are asked not to disturb the mannequins if found.

Assets are expected to include: an MH-65 helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, a Hawai’i Fire Department Chopper 1 helicopter crew and rescue boat crew, a rescue watercraft crew with Ocean Safety, and a response boat crew with DLNR.

The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate notification and response procedures between first responders and identify any shortfalls in communication and coordination during response to search and rescue incidents.

Although people are requested to stay clear of assets as they respond to the scene and engage in operations, members of the public should remain vigilant and call 911 to report any possible distress situations.

Coast Guard duty personnel will not be affected by the exercise and will be available to respond to any ongoing and emergent search and rescue cases.

For more information, contact the 14th District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.