As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season gets underway, local and federal emergency officials say the Virgin Islands are “better prepared than ever,” as demonstrated during a recent two weeks of intensive disaster response drills that tested everything from shelter logistics to medical evacuations and fuel delivery.
The series of exercises, led by the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, brought together the V.I. National Guard, FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, multiple government departments, and private-sector partners for a full-scale functional simulation. The scenario — built around a fictitious Category 3 storm named Hurricane Indigo —challenged agencies to respond to 150 mph winds, up to 10 inches of rain, and storm surge exceeding 10 feet.
“This wasn’t a tabletop exercise,” VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen said at Monday’s Government House press briefing. “This was a real-time test of how the Virgin Islands would respond if a major hurricane were bearing down.”
The drills ran from June 3 through June 14, simulating a timeline from 120 hours before landfall to 30 hours after. Teams worked from Emergency Operations Centers across St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John, coordinating with FEMA Region 2 and military partners in San Antonio, Texas, where the Department of Defense held its annual Rehearsal of Concept for storm season.
Key Areas of Focus: Power, Healthcare, Debris Management
Jaschen outlined Monday several areas where the exercises revealed both strengths and ongoing challenges.
Among them: managing backup power at 151 government facilities across the territory. “We’re tracking generator needs and working with WAPA to prioritize restoration,” Jaschen said. “We don’t want to deploy equipment to buildings that will be back online quickly, or forget about sites that may be without power for much longer.”
Officials also refined evacuation and support plans for dialysis patients. In a real emergency, many would be moved to the new facility on St. Croix operated by the V.I. Healthcare Foundation. “The goal is to keep patients in the territory whenever possible, rather than evacuating them elsewhere,” Jaschen said.
Waste disposal was another major focus. The drills included identifying locations on each island for staging and final disposal of hurricane-related debris, including fallen trees and vegetative waste, in coordination with the Waste Management Authority.
Shelters and Medical Needs
Shelter planning was a central part of the simulation. The territory currently has:
St. Thomas: three shelters for 1,196 people (1 pet-friendly, two wheelchair-accessible)
St. Croix: two shelters for 621 people (both accessible; one pet-friendly)
St. John: two shelters for 207 people (both accessible; neither pet-friendly)
In addition, each district has one special medical needs shelter that can accommodate up to 13 individuals. Residents who require these must preregister with the Human Services Department to ensure transportation and placement.
Officials reviewed both pre- and post-storm shelter protocols, evacuation timelines, and communications procedures, including the need to act before tropical storm-force winds make movement unsafe. “We’re committed to ensuring no island is left without safe shelter,” Jaschen said.
Over the course of the two weeks, agencies also practiced establishing unified command, coordinating search and rescue operations, clearing critical roadways, deploying generators, and staging supplies and personnel.
Participants included the Public Works Department, Port Authority, WAPA, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Police, Planning and Natural Resources, and Human Services. The goal, Jaschen said, was not just to test response, but to ensure synchronization between local, federal, and military assets.
Jaschen said the drills offered reassurance, but also a reminder: readiness is a shared responsibility. VITEMA continues to urge residents to sign up for Alert VI at www.vitema.vi.gov, make emergency plans, and register in advance for medical shelters if needed.
“Our mission is to protect life and property,” Jaschen said. “Capstone 2025 showed we’re not just prepared — we’re committed to doing whatever it takes to keep the Virgin Islands safe.”
