Hawaii National Guard, PH troops hold search and rescue exercises

The training included mountain search and rescue, focusing on ropes rescue for three days, followed by three days dedicated to urban search and rescue. HNG

Hawaii’s National Guard on Aug. 15-31 held urban and mountain search and rescue exercises with Philippine armed forces units to improve disaster response and interoperability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet Pacific Partnership 2023 supported the exchange between Hawaii National Guard and the 505th Search and Rescue Group, Philippine Air Force, and the 525th Engineer Combat Battalion, 51st Engineer Brigade, Philippine Army in San Fernando, Pampanga.

The training included mountain search and rescue, focusing on ropes rescue for three days, followed by three days dedicated to urban search and rescue.

Participants practiced collapsed structure rescue, shoring, confined space rescue, urban search and rescue structure identification, and structure assessment signs and markings. The exchange culminated in a comprehensive earthquake simulation.

Training exercises like these offered Hawaii National Guardsmen knowledge, skills and opportunities to collaborate with services they don’t typically interact with.

For 1st Sgt. Rodolfo Acosta, a Hawaii Army National Guard soldier who left the Philippines at age 4, the experience had special resonance. “Being born here and being Filipino is like helping the community that is so close to my hometown,” Acosta told Hawaii National Guard News.