PMRF Barking Sands conducts full-scale emergency exercise, passes readiness assessment on Kaua‘i

Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Barking Sands in Kekaha demonstrated operational readiness by passing an Emergency Management Program Assessment and executing an emergency operations center C3 activation during a recent full-scale exercise. The actions confirmed the command’s ability to respond quickly, coordinate effectively and maintain mission continuity during an emergency.

The exercise was conducted as a Command Assessment for Readiness and Training (CART) during a Region Training Assist Visit (RTAV), and was described in DVIDS imagery and local reporting as scenario-based. DVIDS recorded the activity with a caption noting that the training is “designed to strengthen coordination, communication, and rapid response capabilities among first responders in support of installation safety, mission readiness, and the protection of Sailors, families, and civilians.”

Participants included PMRF security and emergency response personnel, U.S. Navy personnel, local base partners, U.S. Navy Region Hawai‘i assessment teams, and local responders from Kaua‘i. Local coverage identified the exercise as a Command Assessment Readiness Training event that involved an emergency operations center activation to test command, control, and communications under pressure.

Maui Now reported the facility “passed the Emergency Management Program Assessment and executed an emergency operations center C3 activation, confirming command’s ability to respond quickly, coordinate effectively and maintain mission continuity during an emergency.” That outcome was presented as evidence of strong teamwork and exceptional readiness at the west Kaua‘i installation.

PMRF highlighted the community dimension in an official statement: “Reaching this goal and surpassing it also reflects the dedication of the facility’s entire team, reinforcing Pacific Missile Range Facility’s readiness to support the mission and its community — the whole of Kaua‘i — when it matters most.”

Photographs of the exercise were posted to DVIDS and to the PMRF Barking Sands Facebook page. DVIDS metadata lists the photo Date Taken as 02.26.2026 and Date Posted 02.27.2026 17:51, Photo ID 9541450, VIRIN 260226-N-HW207-1017, resolution 8192x5464, size 4.09 MB, location KEKAHA, HAWAII, US, Web Views 11 and Downloads 0, with credit given as “U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Louis Lea.”

The combined CART and RTAV activities at PMRF underscore the installation’s stated focus on protecting Sailors, families, and civilians while maintaining mission continuity for range operations off Kaua‘i’s west coast. Local commanders and regional assessment teams exercised systems and coordination designed to ensure the base can surge its emergency operations center and C3 functions when needed.