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Hawai’i National Guard 93rd Civil Support Team works on relevant readiness response on Hawai’i Island

June 26, 2026

Cpt. Dusty McCormick, a Survey Team Leader from the 93rd Civil Support Team (93rd CST), Hawaiʻi National Guard briefs members of the Hawaiʻi Island Fire Department about the nature of responding to a chemical, biological, nuclear explosive scene. The 93rd CST is in Hilo working with and training members of Hawaiʻi Island Fire Department. The days discussions centered around an introduction to the CST’s capabilities and establishing relationships between the first responders. The classroom portion was followed by a briefing on decontamination line procedures and a hands-on portion with members of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department. The day closed out with a demonstration of making initial entry onto a site with hazardous environments and a demonstration of collecting samples after the initial entry. The 93rd CST has annual engagements with each Hawaiʻi County’s first responders to maintain relationships and refresh training. (U.S. National Guard photo by retired Master Sgt. Andrew Lee Jackson)

The Hawaiʻi National Guard 93rd Civil Support Team (93rd CST) recently held a series of readiness exercises on Hawai‘i island. The 93rd CST supports civil authorities at the direction of the Governor on domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high yield explosive incident sites by identifying agents/substances, assessing current and projected consequences, advising on response measures, and assisting with requests for additional support to help save lives and minimize property damage.

“We rotate through our counties annually, and we will basically link up with the Hawai‘i counties to see what their training needs are, what kind of desires they have, what kind of threats they’ve encountered throughout the last year and then we use that to build a training plan,” stated Capt. Dusty McCormick, a survey team leader from the 93rd CST.

The 93rd CST participates in real-world events like joint hazard assessments and responds to no-notice missions, often collaborating with law enforcement first responders and federal assets. The 93rd CST’s mission includes cultivating trust with first responders to quickly address threats and maintain public safety. The county engagements normally happen in late spring and early summer which is a crucial time for building esprit de corps and showcasing skills.

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