NAS Whidbey to participate in regional disaster drill

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 31, 2026

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and other U.S. Navy installations in the Northwest will conduct an earthquake and multi-hazard response exercise Aug. 3-7.

Participating installations also include Naval Station Everett, Naval Base Kitsap and Naval Magazine Indian Island.

The annual exercise, called Citadel Rumble, will test the Navy’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from a simulated earthquake and the cascading emergencies it could trigger.

People near the participating installations may see or hear activity related to the multi-day exercise, though the Navy said it does not expect the drill to affect the public outside its property. Residents may notice messages broadcast over the Navy’s emergency notification loudspeaker system, along with increased emergency vehicle and personnel activity.

The drill will allow emergency management teams to practice coordinating with local mutual aid agencies and responding to realistic disaster scenarios. Navy officials said the training is intended to improve readiness for real-world emergencies and ensure installations can continue supporting military operations under adverse conditions.

The participating installations, along with their tenant commands, will test various procedures, including damage assessment, evacuation plans, disaster preparedness, recovery and consequence management plans, and accounting for Sailors and Navy families in the affected regions through the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System.

Led by Commander, Navy Installations Command, Citadel Rumble is the Navy’s annual disaster preparedness, response and recovery exercise for evaluating shore emergency management readiness.