Defence Concludes Emergency Assistance Exercise on Windward Islands

The Netherlands Ministry of Defence concluded its annual hurricane emergency response exercise called “Calm Horizon” on Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. Over the past two weeks, military personnel trained with local security partners to increase their readiness and strengthen cooperation, to deploy troops quickly and effectively after a hurricane passes.

The exercise concluded on Saba last Sunday with a visit aboard the French Naval vessel BSAOM Dumont d’Urville at the invitation of Commanding Officer Lieutenant Thomas Chauveau. Attendees included Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, Island Secretary Bram Streppel, Head of Public Order and Safety Walle Bos, Crisis Advisor Shalini Bisram, and the Commanding Officer of the HNLMS Pelikaan Max Borsboom.

The BSAOM Dumont d’Urville serves as the equivalent of the HNLMS Pelikaan and is used for overseas offshore support and assistance. The vessel is usually stationed in Martinique and participates in the exercise representing the French entities.

By conducting exercises like ‘Calm Horizon’ in the Windward Islands, the military ensures optimal preparedness to provide emergency assistance, support civil authorities, and maintain public order immediately after a hurricane threat has passed. This represents one of the three core tasks of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence in the Caribbean Region.

PES