FREDERIKSTED — The Virgin Islands National Guard hosted its annual All-Hazards workshop at the Estate Bethlehem compound on St. Croix from February 18 to 20.
The workshop comprised of members from the VING, other military branches, local government and organizations essential to providing local support to the territory.
The goal is to develop mission analysts and a product to integrate into an action plan and refine the hurricane response and recovery plan.
“Hurricanes aren’t the only threats to the Virgin Islands,” Colonel Ivan Udell, the director of operations for the VING, said. “The most dangerous event that can happen to the Virgin Islands is a tsunami.”
Developing an earthquake and tsunami response plan, conducting intelligence preparation, and identifying capabilities and vulnerabilities that enable an action plan were addressed amongst representatives from each agency. The scale disaster preparedness is imperative for emergency response.
“Civilians are the lead in response, but anytime they are overwhelmed by the circumstances, that’s where we will step in,” Udell said.
Today, the U.S. military faces a dynamically changing security environment characterized by great power competition, rapid technology advances, and new challenges in all fields of conflict resolution.
The VING said that it remains committed to continuous Guardsmen and civilian leader development.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/363709/vings-annual-all-hazards-workshop