Caribbean hurricane drill tests regional emergency response

Military units are participating in ‘Calm Horizon’, an annual two-week hurricane-response exercise designed to improve emergency coordination across the Caribbean. The drill focuses on Sint Maarten and Saba, testing how quickly personnel and equipment can be deployed to provide relief and maintain public order following a major hurricane.

Participating forces include Aruba’s ARUMIL, Curaçao’s CURMIL, and the Royal Netherlands Navy, utilizing assets such as the support vessel Zr. Ms. Pelikaan and fast raiding interception and special forces craft (FRISCs). The exercise emphasizes joint planning and coordination between military units, local authorities, aid organizations, and private-sector partners to align procedures before a real crisis occurs.