VITEMA CONDUCTS PRE-CAPSTONE TABLETOP EXERCISE WEEK

 AHEAD OF 2026 HURRICANE SEASON

Five Days of Interagency Sessions Strengthen Territory’s Hurricane Readiness

  1. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands — The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) successfully completed its Pre-Capstone Tabletop Exercise (TTX) Week, May 11–15, 2026 — a series of targeted planning sessions bringing together key government agencies to evaluate emergency response procedures ahead of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Over the course of the week, VITEMA facilitated sessions with the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Works, the Virgin Islands Energy Office, the Water and Power Authority, and VITEMA’s own operations teams. Each session focused on a distinct and critical function of the Territory’s emergency response framework.

VITEMA kicked off the week by reviewing internal drills and operational readiness procedures. The Department of Health participated in two sessions — one examining patient movement protocols for the safe transport of residents across all three districts during a declared emergency, and a second addressing the needs of medically dependent individuals requiring specialized shelter accommodations. The Department of Human Services led a discussion centered on congregate shelter operations, including activation procedures and capacity coordination. The Virgin Islands Energy Office and the Water and Power Authority jointly examined temporary power restoration strategies to support critical facilities and vulnerable populations in the aftermath of a storm. The week concluded with the Department of Public Works reviewing route clearance operations — a foundational step in enabling emergency access and recovery across the Territory.

Each session was structured around a module-based format with facilitated briefings, agency caucus discussions, and brief-back segments, allowing participants to identify gaps, validate existing plans, and surface areas for improvement.

“Last week’s pre-capstone event focused on integration of our three VITEMA EOCs in preparing for Hurricane Season 2026 covering Operations, Plans, Logistics, and Finance. Additional focus included a review of our alternate communications capabilities and alternate EOC locations. As a result of this event, we have identified a few areas to improve between now and our Capstone Exercise occurring the first week in June,” said VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen.

“These tabletop exercises underscore our commitment to ensuring that the Virgin Islands is fully prepared to protect medically vulnerable populations during emergencies. By strengthening coordination, identifying gaps, and refining our response systems, we are enhancing our readiness for the upcoming hurricane season and reinforcing our duty to serve the people of our Territory,” said Director Rivers, Virgin Islands Department of Health.

“A major focus of the meeting was the development of a territory-wide generator refueling strategy, which will define how fuel is sourced, distributed, and sustained during prolonged outages. As a result, agencies are working collaboratively to establish clear prioritization of critical facilities and ensure continuity of essential services. This effort includes coordination with key agencies such as the Port Authority, DOA, BIT, DPW, VIFEMS and our federal partner, FEMA,” said Kyle Fleming, Director, Virgin Islands Energy Office.

Findings from the Pre-Capstone TTX Week will be carried forward for validation during the VITEMA Capstone Exercise, scheduled June 1–5, 2026, at the onset of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

The 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins June 1. Residents are encouraged to visit vitema.vi.gov, sign up for Alert VI emergency notifications, and review their family emergency plans now.