{"id":333,"date":"2026-05-15T22:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T22:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=333"},"modified":"2026-05-15T22:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T22:04:14","slug":"fiu-disaster-field-exercise-trains-future-responders-for-complex-crises-at-home-and-abroad-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=333","title":{"rendered":"FIU disaster field exercise trains future responders for complex crises at home and abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Florida International University\u00a0kicked off its annual Disaster Field Operations Exercise today at the Biscayne Bay Campus, bringing together graduate students, emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=332\">Low Health Literacy Adds up to $238 Billion in Annual Health Care Costs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Led by FIU\u2019s\u00a0Academy for International Disaster Preparedness, part of the\u00a0Robert Stempel College of Public Health &amp; Social Work, the two-day exercise gives approximately 50 students the opportunity to move from classroom theory to field operations. They\u00a0were\u00a0joined by\u00a050 volunteers and representatives from\u00a0over 25\u00a0participating agencies and organizations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDisasters are unpredictable, and emergency managers must be ready to respond wherever their expertise is needed,\u201d said Javier I. Marques, senior vice president, chief of staff and executive director for FIU\u2019s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness. Students are being tested on their ability to assess needs, coordinate resources, manage logistics and support response and recovery efforts.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, students responded to a simulated disaster in the United States. On Friday, the exercise shifts to an international scenario involving a major hurricane striking Cuba, a situation that could have implications for disaster response teams supporting the island during a theoretical period of government transition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor South Florida, Cuba is not an abstract international scenario. It is a neighboring island with deep cultural,\u00a0family\u00a0and humanitarian ties to our region,\u201d said Dulce M. Suarez, assistant director of FIU\u2019s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness. \u201cBy including this type of scenario, we are helping students understand how disaster response could unfold in a complex environment where coordination, cultural awareness and humanitarian principles are essential.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Cuba\u00a0scenario is designed to prepare students for operational challenges that could arise in a post-communist Cuba, when disaster response could require coordination among local, state, federal\u00a0and\u00a0international\u00a0partners. Given South Florida\u2019s proximity to Cuba and its ties to the Cuban people, the simulation asks students to consider how emergency response could unfold in a Caribbean disaster requiring international coordination. Throughout the exercise, students are practicing international disaster management standards, needs assessments, civil-military coordination, humanitarian\u00a0logistics, ethical aid distribution, public health\u00a0response\u00a0and recovery planning.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=329\">Everything in Between: Kiki Nunez with Guest Ashley Brosky, Serial Entrepreneur and Motherhood<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The scenario also emphasizes respect for culture, sovereignty, humanitarian\u00a0principles\u00a0and the needs of affected populations. \u201cAs someone working in law enforcement, I see how often local response connects to international situations,\u201d said Nubia Azrak, a student in the program and a lieutenant with the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office.\u00a0\u201cThe hands-on nature of this exercise is what makes it so valuable. You are physically and mentally immersed in the crisis, working alongside others, learning from their expertise and understanding how every role contributes to the larger response.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s exercise\u00a0also\u00a0places FIU\u2019s work in disaster preparedness, public\u00a0service\u00a0and community resilience within the context of America 250. Florida\u2019s experience with hurricanes,\u00a0flooding\u00a0and\u00a0public health emergencies has made the state an important part of the country\u2019s preparedness and resilience efforts. Through this exercise, FIU reinforces the importance of readiness,\u00a0coordination\u00a0and service while training the next generation of disaster management leaders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPreparing students for disaster response is part of FIU\u2019s responsibility as a public university serving Florida and the region,\u201d said Tom\u00e1s R. Guilarte, dean of FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health &amp; Social Work. \u201cThis exercise reflects the connection between public health, public service and applied training, and how those areas come together to strengthen communities and prepare future leaders to respond when they are needed most.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Representatives from participating agencies and organizations include\u00a0FIU Operations and Safety,\u00a0FIU Parking, Sustainability and Transportation, FIU Facilities, FIU Police Department, FIU Board of Trustees,\u00a0Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Marine Operations, Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management, Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office, AT&amp;T, Nicklaus Children\u2019s Hospital, Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), University of Miami Global Institute for Community Health and Development, HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Miami Beach Fire Department, Baptist Health South Florida, Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), Coral Gables Fire Department, U.S. Army, Florida State Guard, Team Rubicon, Guy Fieri Foundation, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Broward Sheriff\u2019s Office (BSO), City of Miami Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marine Corps 4th Civil Affairs Group, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue, and Tiger Dam.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Videos and images from the exercise, including interviews with FIU experts addressing a\u00a0possible disaster\u00a0response in Cuba, can be found at this\u00a0Dropbox. It will be updated throughout the exercise.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=327\">Kitchen 57 Fires Up National BBQ Day With a Limited-Time BBQ Menu in South Miami<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--begin code --><\/p>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--end code -->\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Florida International University kicked off its annual Disaster Field Operations Exercise today at the Biscayne Bay Campus, bringing together graduate students, emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments. Led by FIU\u2019s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness, part of the Robert Stempel College of Public Health &#038; Social<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[49,50,51],"class_list":["post-333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiu-community-news","tag-fiu-community-news","tag-florida-international-university-featured","tag-florida-international-university-home"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIU disaster field exercise trains future responders for complex crises at home and abroad - Miami Movers Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/miamimovershub.com\/?p=333\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FIU disaster field exercise trains future responders for complex crises at home and abroad - Miami Movers Hub\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Florida International University kicked off its annual Disaster Field Operations Exercise today at the Biscayne Bay Campus, bringing together graduate students, emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments. 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