Eatons Neck also sent a vessel to observe SAREX surface facility operation from nearby that otherwise did not participate in the exercise. Eatons Neck also sent an observer to the incident command base to witness operations and provide feedback.
The exercise was designed so that surface and air facilities would be out on normal MOM patrols during the period of the exercise. The SAREX Coordinator would inject simulated incidents into the scenario for incident command and operational facilities to react to and resolve. Both the SAREX Coordinator and Incident Commander independently operated out of the Incident Command Base but the SAREX Coordinator orchestrated exercise injects privately via cell phone so that incident command was unaware of the impending incidents.
Incident command base was formally established at 0800 and began with a staff briefing, a safety briefing, and initial commands to staff operations and communications. The exercise proceeded with a communications exercise, including the use of AUXNET.
Crew member Barbara Ingram aboard Semper Paratus.
Photo by Evan Tilley
SAREX