Emergency Operations Training Essential to Guantanamo Personnel

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leona Mynes, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Personnel assigned to Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and its tenant commands began their second day of Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Incident Management Training, April 5.

Commander, Navy Installations Command's (CNIC) Shore Training Group is instructing 23 service members and civilians on how to operate an EOC during an incident.

Preparedness for incidents that affect the base is imperative, said Kevin Robarge, NS Guantanamo Bay's installation training officer.

The training is especially important aboard Guantanamo as local resources are limited because the U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with the base's host country.

"We are isolated from many resources and need to be able to manage the resources and personnel we have on-hand until relief and support can reach us," said Robarge. "Because of that, we must continually train our personnel to prepare, manage and respond to any type of situation in order to save lives, property, and to restore quality of life services to our residents as quickly as possible."

Guantanamo Bay's location near a strike-slip fault line, called the Oriente Fracture, and its location in the Caribbean increases the likelihood that the base may experience an earthquake or hurricane, said Robarge. Additionally, all personnel should be prepared if an active shooter incident occurs.

"Last year's Haiti relief effort, recent and past active shooters, and a number of recent catastrophic events, to include what Japan is currently going through, are examples of why we need to train and prepare to better handle incidents," said Robarge.

The training is scheduled to conclude April 7 with an EOC exercise.