TEEX-Led Operational Readiness Exercises Simulate a Multi-State Hurricane Event
FEMA urban search and rescue teams test their readiness to manage a large-scale disaster
About 650 members of Texas A&M Task Forces 1, 2 and 3, and urban search and rescue (US&R) teams from Tennessee, Utah and Florida participated in two Operational Readiness Exercises (OREs) to prepare them to manage large-scale disasters affecting multiple states, such as back-to-back hurricanes like Hurricanes Milton and Helene in 2024.
Five of the task forces are part of the 28 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated US&R teams and participate in OREs annually, and the remaining eight task forces are state of Texas- and Florida- sponsored teams. This exercise was the first one ever that involved one disaster that affected two states—Texas and Florida—a fictional Category 4 hurricane named Hurricane Jeff.
About 350 first responders from Texas, Utah and Tennessee took part in the first of the OREs at TEEX’s 52-acre Disaster City® in College Station, February 21-23. Disaster City® is internationally renowned for urban search and rescue training, with more than 20,000 participants trained annually over the last decade.
The teams performed search and rescue exercises for collapsed buildings and train derailments. The training also included swift water and helicopter rescues at Lake Bryan, and Lake Conroe, which is about an hour southeast of College Station. The teams also practiced at two College Station subdivisions that are under construction, as partially constructed homes simulate how hurricane-force winds might affect a structure.
“This exercise brought multiple task force teams together so they could practice their techniques as if in a real-world hurricane response in Texas, Florida or someplace else in the country,” said Jeff Saunders, TEEX’s Texas A&M Task Force Director. “Human interaction among the responders is a key element of the exercise because we have to rely on each other’s communications skills to work together as a cohesive unit during a multi-state disaster.”
On February 24-27, the exercise moved to Florida at two locations, Camp Blanding, a training center for the Florida National Guard in Starke, FL, and the Fire Academy of the South in Jacksonville, FL. Leaders from TEEX’s Preparedness Program developed the scenarios for the Florida exercise.
As fictional Hurricane Jeff moved eastward along the Gulf Coast and into Florida, the scenario had Florida experiencing some of the most severe effects with power outages, a major bridge collapse and multiple tornados that displaced residents and significantly damaged structures. A hospital had to be evacuated, and a 15-foot storm surge resulted in a hazardous chemical spill in an industrial zone, among other exercise scenarios.
“This was a great opportunity for TEEX to showcase its capabilities in large-scale, multi-jurisdictional exercise design and implementation,” said Ryan LeNorman, TEEX Preparedness Program Director. “Highlighted by a cross-functional support effort throughout our agency, we were able to focus on interoperability, thereby building resiliency within our nation, states and local communities.”
About 300 participants in the Florida ORE were members of Florida US&R Task Forces 1 through 8, the recently reestablished Florida State Guard, the Florida National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others. They practiced search and rescue operations for collapsed structures; reviewed emergency preparedness plans and response procedures for hurricanes; identified threats and hazards impacting the teams; and established uniform command processes.
“The 2025 Florida US&R training exercise enhanced participant readiness for real-world disasters, fostering collaboration and refining skills essential for effective emergency response” said Jeff Rouse, State of Florida Incident Support Team Leader. “Training at scale is crucial in ensuring our teams are prepared to protect and serve our communities during times of crisis.”
Personnel from FEMA’s National Urban Search and Rescue Response System were present to observe and evaluate both exercises. FEMA US&R Blue Incident Support Team Leader Rick Bartee noted the significance of the Texas and Florida exercises.
“When a US&R task force is deployed to a disaster, it must integrate with the existing incident management structure in the jurisdiction(s) where the disaster has occurred,” said Bartee. “The recent weather events affecting multiple states at the same time amplified the need to effectively coordinate our individual team resources over a vast area. TEEX’s support of the Texas and Florida exercises allowed incident command experts to observe and evaluate how the task forces performed and provide them with real-time feedback to prepare them for other large-scale weather events.”
About TEEX
The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is an internationally recognized leader in emergency response training, workforce training and technical assistance. In 2024, TEEX trained more than 225,000 participants from every U.S. state and territory and 124 countries worldwide.
Major TEEX programs include Fire and Emergency Services, Infrastructure and Safety, Law Enforcement and Protective Services, and Business and Cyber Solutions. Additionally, through its National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC), TEEX provides federally funded homeland security training and technical assistance for communities across the nation. The agency also sponsors the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team (TX-PWRT) and the Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), Texas Task Force 2 (TX-TF2), and Texas A&M Task Force 3 (TX-TF3) Urban Search and Rescue Teams.
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Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
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