FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO- Members of the Fort Buchanan Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security (DPTMS) hosted a coordination meeting at the command's headquarters, Jan. 14, for an upcoming full-scale emergency exercise, as required by Army Regulation 525-27.
Representatives from the municipalities of Bayamón and Cataño, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico National Guard, and the Army Reserve 1st Mission Support Command attended.
“Interagency coordination is essential to ensure an integrated and effective response to any scenario. These meetings allow us to identify risks and strengthen our protection measures,” said Héctor Herrera, the installation antiterrorism officer.
The meeting focused on aligning plans and resources to ensure a safe and effective exercise, enhancing readiness, response capabilities, and community safety.
“Joint planning like this improves our response capabilities and ensures all partners understand their roles before a real-world emergency,” said José A. Ortiz, installation emergency manager.
Organizations conduct full-scale emergency exercises in a real-time, stressful environment to mirror a real incident. Personnel and resources may be mobilized and deployed to the scene, where actions are performed as if a real incident had occurred. Once conducted, the exercise will measure how Fort Buchanan can protect people, sustain operations, and support the Army’s mission in the Caribbean, while remaining fully integrated with local, state, and federal response partners.
Fort Buchanan serves a military community of approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel from the Reserve, National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Naval Force Reserve. Fort Buchanan's mission is to serve as a platform to enhance readiness and facilitate the deployment of military personnel anywhere, at any time.