SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers are scheduled to conduct an emergency preparedness exercise Thursday on the Savannah River in Savannah.
The exercise is scheduled to last from 10:15 a.m. until 11 a.m.
The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that Coast Guard aviation and Corps of Engineers water assets can communicate in order to coordinate search and rescue missions and vital Savannah River navigation channel survey operations during a crisis or emergency, such as immediately after a hurricane. Communications to the aircraft and water vessels will be tested from the Statesboro Federal Courthouse, a potential command and control site that could be used for continuity of operations, in the event a disaster renders the primary site in Savannah inoperable.
The exercise is scheduled to occur on the Savannah River across from the Hyatt Hotel in the historic district.
Coordinating and rehearsing joint operations between the Army Corps and the Coast Guard ensures faster response capabilities than would normally be possible if the agencies were not working together like this during a crisis. The exercise will allow testing of the range and capabilities of Corps and Coast Guard communications between a remote operating command post, air to ground, and air to vessel assets. It will allow both agencies to identify any obstacles or concerns in a controlled environment enabling a better prepared response in a real crisis.
