An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | June 3, 2008

"Hurricane Herb" provides early disaster response test for Florida's military

By Tech. Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa Florida National Guard Public Affairs

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Just days into the 2008 hurricane season, the Florida Department of Military Affairs and Florida National Guard are actively preparing in case a devastating storm strikes the state this year.

In cooperation with the State Emergency Response Team, members of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and the Florida National Guard are participating in a statewide hurricane exercise June 2-5.

In the exercise scenario a Category 3 hurricane, "Hurricane Herb", made landfall Sunday afternoon near Cedar Key on Florida's west coast, and moved across the state and into Georgia. As in previous hurricanes, the storm tore through the state causing massive power outages, extensive flooding and affecting more than half a million Florida citizens.

In a real life emergency the National Guard would move equipment and forces as requested by state officials, but the Hurricane Herb exercise involves only simulated military emergency operations across the state coordinated from the Florida National Guard's Joint Operations Center at the Robert Ensslin Armory in St. Augustine.

"We test all of our different systems and make sure everything is in order," Director of Operations for the Florida National Guard Col. William Beiswenger said Monday morning. "This is being done throughout the state from the local first responders and local city levels, all the way up through the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. We also have participants from National Guard Bureau."

Beiswenger noted that although the past two hurricane seasons have been relatively uneventful for the Florida National Guard, they continue to prepare for the "worst case scenarios" during training.

"We train as though we're going to have the worst hurricane tomorrow," he explained. "We've got to train that way"¦we can't be too complacent."

On Monday the majority of the activity at the Guard's Joint Operations Center included reviewing operations plans, briefings on storm damage, and determining how the National Guard would deploy forces in an actual catastrophe.

During a briefing to the Operations Center staff, Assistant Adjutant General for the Florida Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael Fleming praised the exercise participants for their level of expertise in dealing with emergencies.

"We have a great team, between our uniformed personnel (and) civilians," the general said, noting that many in the room have been part of the National Guard's emergency response in previous hurricane seasons.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the 2008 hurricane season could be slightly "above normal," with a 60 to 70 percent chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including 6 to 9 hurricanes and 2 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale).

"Our citizens of Florida need to take heed to that because all it takes is one storm to come in that folks aren't prepared for and we could have a lot of loss out there, both people and infrastructure," Beiswenger warned. "We've got to prepare for that worst case scenario at all times."

The exercise will officially end on Thursday.

 

 

Related Articles
Photo of medical training during a Port Subject Matter Expert Exchange at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, August 20, 2025. (Courtesy Photo)
Washington Guard Continues Strengthening Relationship at Thailand’s Port of Laem Chabang
By Joseph Siemandel, | Sept. 30, 2025
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - Four members of the Washington National Guard partnered recently with more than 170 employees from the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, to continue improving the port’s all-hazard response as part of the...

Leaders and attendees from the Hawai‘i National Guard, Guam National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines gather for a group photo during the 25th anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between the Hawai‘i National Guard and the AFP at Clark Air Base, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2025. The Hawai‘i Guard and AFP launched the Indo-Pacific’s first State Partnership in 2000, marking 25 years of cooperation in training, disaster response and regional security.
25 Years Strong: Hawai‘i Guard and Philippines Celebrate Enduring Partnership
By Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy, | Sept. 30, 2025
CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines — Cheers, handshakes and shared stories filled the air Sept. 23–25 as the Hawai‘i National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated 25 years of partnership — a bond that has endured...

Oklahoma National Guard leaders and Italian representatives unveil a plaque at the former headquarters of the 45th Infantry Division during WWII in Venafro, Italy, Sept. 8, 2025. A delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in Italy against German forces during World War II, continuing the development of the Thunderbird Trail. The initiative is aimed at preserving the Division's role in World War II through a memorial trail tracing its footsteps through Italy, France and Germany, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Danielle Rayon)
Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection for Oklahoma Guard
By Sgt. Danielle Rayon, | Sept. 29, 2025
ITALY – Standing among rows of white marble headstones at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard bent to place sand from the beaches of Anzio into the carved names of...