From tabletop exercises to flood fight readiness, the Corps of Engineers Caribbean District proved its preparedness and resilience during the 2025 hurricane season across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 2025 – The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season marked a historic milestone for the Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District, which completed its first full season as a standalone district representing the Corps across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasting another “above‑average” season, including six to ten hurricanes, three to five of them major, the Caribbean District began its work long before the first storm formed.
In June 2025, the district held Hurricane Preparedness Week, which included a
Hurricane Tabletop Training Exercise (TTX) at Fort Buchanan. District leaders, program managers, and the Emergency Operations Management team joined counterparts from across the South Atlantic Division (SAD), alongside federal partners including FEMA and the National Weather Service. The exercise tested the district’s newly drafted readiness and response plan through a scenario of back‑to‑back hurricanes striking the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
“The TTX was a discussion‑based exercise to practice and refine our emergency procedures before a real event occurs,” said Patricia Fontanet Rodríguez, Chief of Emergency Management for the Caribbean District. “It allowed key personnel to simulate actions they would take during a real‑world crisis, and it reminded us that it isn’t a matter of
if we will experience a hurricane, but a matter of
when.”
Caribbean District Commander Col. Charles L. Decker said the exercise identified opportunities to improve readiness posture and address vulnerabilities in advance of a real emergency.
“Our priorities are to help staff and personnel prepare for, respond to, and recover from the event as quickly as possible so we can continue the Corps’ mission to safely deliver quality public infrastructure projects on time and within budget in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Decker said.
The collaborative training environment validated plans, roles, and responsibilities, while reinforcing the district’s role in the unified national response framework. As part of FEMA’s Emergency Support Function #3 – Public Works and Engineering (ESF#3), the Caribbean District supports FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security in disaster response, ensuring that federal engineering expertise is integrated into regional hurricane planning, response, and recovery operations.
Flood Fight Readiness
Under the authority of Public Law 84‑99, the Caribbean District also pre‑staged
Flood Fight Materials (FFM) to enable swift response. In St. Croix, USVI, approximately 50,000 sandbags and 25 rolls of polyethylene sheeting were positioned for immediate deployment. In Ponce, Puerto Rico, the same quantities were joined by 60 HESCO gabion baskets, providing up to 900 linear feet of temporary flood protection.
“Our Flood Fight mission is unique,” Fontanet Rodríguez explained. “We don’t need a presidential disaster declaration to act. If a flood emergency develops, we can step in without FEMA and provide technical assistance, supplies, and boots on the ground. In the Virgin Islands, the terrain and infrastructure make flood risks especially acute. Even a few inches of rain can overwhelm the system. That’s why we’re here: To help the territories respond effectively and recover quickly when flooding occurs."
This flood response posture, distinct from FEMA’s ESF #3 activation, reflects the Corps’ ability to act when rising waters impact communities.
Responding to Hurricane Erin
That preparation proved vital when
Hurricane Erin surged to Category 5 strength in August. From its headquarters in San Juan, the Caribbean District mobilized quickly, coordinating with FEMA, the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau (PREMB), the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA), and territorial governments to assess flood risks, safeguard ports, and provide technical expertise.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, engineers worked with VITEMA to evaluate coastal defenses, pre‑position emergency resources, and ensure harbors remained open for critical supplies.
“Our mission was clear: protect lives and critical infrastructure,” Fontanet Rodríguez said. “Hurricane Erin reminded us that preparedness is about building trust with our communities and strengthening interagency coordination with our partners at FEMA, PREMB, and VITEMA. Disaster response is not about any one agency, but about how we work together to support communities in need.”
Support also came from across the
South Atlantic Division (SAD), which includes districts in Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, and Mobile. These districts provided technical expertise, personnel, and logistical support to reinforce the Caribbean District’s operations.
“The strength of the Corps lies in its ability to surge resources where they’re needed most,” Fontanet Rodríguez added. “Our colleagues in SAD stood shoulder to shoulder with us, ensuring that the Caribbean had the full backing of the Corps of Engineers.”
Hurricane Season by the numbers
The Caribbean District’s first hurricane season underscored both readiness and reach:
- 4 EOC activations in advance of Hurricane Erin, Tropical Depression 1, Tropical Storm Jerry, and Hurricane Melissa.
- 6 FEMA Mission Assignments issued, reinforcing the district’s role in national disaster response.
- 24 USACE districts and divisions contributed to the district’s 2025 hurricane mission, including HQ USACE, LRB, LRD, LRP, MVD, MVK, MVP, MVS, NAD, NAN, NWO, NWS, RAP, SAC, SAD, SAJ, SAM, SAS, SPD, SPK, SPN, SWT, SWG, and ULA.
- 220-plus people from across the Corps were needed throughout hurricane season to strengthen operations in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- 4 Temporary Emergency Power Planning and Response Teams (PRTs) from LRP, MVM, NWW, and SAS were postured to restore power to critical infrastructure in affected areas.
Building long‑term resilience
Beyond immediate storm response, the Caribbean District advanced long‑term flood risk management projects throughout the season. These ongoing initiatives will reduce flood risks in communities across Puerto Rico. The
Río Puerto Nuevo Flood Risk Management Project, a $1.6 billion effort protecting metropolitan San Juan, continued to make progress. Similar work in Río de la Plata and
Caño Martín Peña underscored the district’s dual mission: providing emergency response today while reducing future flood risks and restoring ecosystems to safeguard communities for generations to come.
As the 2025 hurricane season closes, the Caribbean District’s first year stands as proof of its preparedness and partnerships. From Hurricane Erin to multiple tropical storms, the district demonstrated its ability to mobilize quickly, safeguard critical infrastructure, and support communities across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Equally important, the season reinforced the value of strong partnerships with FEMA, PREMB, VITEMA, the National Weather Service, and fellow districts across the Corps of Engineers, ensuring federal engineering expertise was fully integrated into regional response efforts.
Looking ahead, the Caribbean District remains committed not only to emergency response but also to advancing long‑term flood risk management and ecosystem restoration projects. Together, these efforts will protect lives, strengthen infrastructure, and build resilience in one of the nation’s most hurricane‑prone regions.