Maui Emergency Responders Training with Hawai‘i National Guard

The Maui Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Management Agency joined the Hawaiʻi National Guard and other agencies for a full-scale training exercise Thursday near the Kahului Airport.

The Police Department’s Special Response Team started off the training with a safety briefing, followed by a high-risk suspect apprehension exercise. Firefighters then conducted hazardous materials decontamination procedures.  Other capabilities tested included operational coordination/communications; screening, search and detection; and environmental response/health and safety.

The National Guard 93rd Civil Support Team exercised their capabilities by integrating operations in conjunction with local first responders.

“The opportunity to take part in this training, especially with our off-island partners, is critical for Maui County’s first responders,” said Andrea Finkelstein, plans and operations officer for the Maui County Emergency Management Agency. “Planning for an emergency is just as important as responding to one, and these exercises play a very significant role in keeping the public safe.”

The 93rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team conducts annual Full-Scale Exercises for all the counties in the State of Hawaiʻi. The exercises allow first responders and the Emergency Management to share and update their existing plans, polices and procedures during real world emergencies. The 93rd WMD-CST is based out of Honolulu and uses these exercises to assess their deployment capabilities and interoperability processes when integrating into an incident.

County of Maui / CHRIS SUGIDONO photo
Firefighter III Mo Jacinto (from right) instructs firefighter hazmat technicians Jack Smith and Danny Laferriere before a joint exercise Thursday morning near Kahului Airport.

County of Maui / CHRIS SUGIDONO photo
Firefighter hazmat technicians Danny Laferriere (left) and Jack Smith monitor air quality to ensure nothing hazardous is escaping a building during a joint training exercise Thursday morning near Kahului Airport.

County of Maui / CHRIS SUGIDONO photo
Firefighters Nikolai Reuss (from left), Jake Souki and Cory Palmeira prepare for a hazardous materials exercise near Kahului Airport.

County of Maui / CHRIS SUGIDONO photo
First Sgt. Ka’i Peleholani of the Hawaiʻi National Guard 93rd WMD-CST speaks to observers during a joint training exercise Thursday morning near Kahului Airport.