7th HUREX at Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School, Saba, Statia

Cay Hill ‐ For the 7th time, the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School in Cay Hill is honored to assist the Netherlands Marine Corps by providing them with a command center for yet another annual hurricane exercise ‐ HUREX. Between September 14 ‐ 28, approximately 80 Marines from Sint Maarten, Aruba, and Curacao will practice and simulate different hurricane scenarios at multiple locations on Dutch Sint Maarten. Simultaneously, around 60 troops will be stationed on Saba and St. Eustatius, and from the Royal Netherlands Navy, also participating, will be the support ship ZrMs Pelikaan which will be transporting military personnel between the SSS islands.

As many residents remember, the island was in unrest and chaos when Irma, a 400‐mile‐wide hurricane, ravaged our 37 square miles. In the aftermath, looting and turmoil made headlines across the world as families struggled to feed their children, and had no running water or electricity. In the event of another hurricane, category 3 or more, the Dutch Marines can make a significant difference by being able to provide medical assistance to residents, and by maintaining law and order on the island.

Asha Stevens‐Mohabier, Chief Executive Director of Hillside Christian Schools said in a statement, “Our excellent working relationship with the Corps is a long‐standing and strong one. Their dedication to disaster preparedness and their commitment to the community is something we are very proud to be a part of again this year. Having the Marine Corps stationed at our school at the peak of hurricane season also gives our school community peace of mind and a great sense of relief”, continued Stevens.

During HUREX, the Marines will be occupying the entire south side parking lot of the Asha Stevens campus, closest to SMMC, along with one classroom space and the gymnasium, so parents should be aware of a changed traffic situation and the school is asking for their kind cooperation, patience, and understanding during drop off and pick up hours.