SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – First responders from across Florida are sharpening their skills ahead of hurricane season, which begins June 1.
Urban Search and Rescue teams from agencies across the state gathered at Mullet Lake Park in Seminole County Wednesday as part of the state’s annual Mobilization Exercise, known as MOBEX. The multi-day training simulates real-world emergency scenarios — including those that follow a hurricane — from locating survivors to documenting property damage.
Seminole County Fire Department personnel assigned to USAR Task Force 4 were among the participants. The exercise also included crews from Orange County Fire Rescue, Orlando Fire Department and fire departments from across the state, with the base of operations established at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.
This year the water rescue and search component centered on a simulated 15-foot tidal surge scenario affecting a fictional “Mud Lake subdivision,” with teams deployed on the St. Johns River. Crews were tasked with locating both live participants and marked targets placed throughout the area.
Keith Brown, observer controller for the water portion of the exercise with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), said the goal was to watch teams perform and offer constructive feedback.
“My whole job is just to watch what they’re doing, make some small suggestions,” Brown said. “So far, they’re doing what I would have done.”
Beyond rescue, the training also emphasized documentation — a critical component of emergency response.
Brown explained that crews use a tracking system to document damaged structures and record where survivors are found, helping drive accurate counts of the missing and located.
That documentation also helps the state pursue federal disaster reimbursement, which ultimately puts money back in the hands of residents looking to rebuild.
“Typically, they would be going into neighborhoods and documenting every house that is damaged, which helps the state seek reimbursement on federal disasters and provides available money for residents to help rebuild,” Brown said.
The exercise incorporated a range of equipment, including airboats, various watercraft and drones. Brown said the technology also creates a detailed map of where crews have — and haven’t — been.
“It’ll paint a really good picture,” he said. “They analyze that and say, ‘We really didn’t do a good job searching here,’ or ‘Where do we need to go back and do a better search?’”
Brown said the skills practiced in exercises like MOBEX translate directly to real disasters — and not just hurricanes.
“I’m from Texas, so I was at Kerrville, and I think that’s kind of what drove a little bit of this,” Brown said.
He noted that Florida teams have deployed to Texas, and that mutual aid flows freely between states through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC.
“I know one of your Florida teams came to Texas to help us. There was Kentucky. The Carolinas last year,” Brown said. “It’s a thing.”
For Brown, observing other states’ teams in action also helps him work more effectively with them when it matters most.
“It’s good for me from Texas,” he said. “Now I can see exactly what other states are doing — and knowing that when they get there, I can put them to good use.”