What we know about the shutdown at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme

Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme has been placed on lockdown amid a “potentially hazardous situation,” the platform announced on Facebook. “NBVC Port Hueneme is currently on Lockdown  to investigate a report of a potentially hazardous situation. Immediately seek shelter and remain indoors until further notice,” the post reads.

Netizens reacted to the announcement in the comment section of the post. “I’m concerned as to why base residents were not notified about this sooner, especially since there were people and children outside at the time. Please prioritize timely communication in the future to help keep everyone safe,” one user wrote. “I heard they caught one guy. I’m hearing there are 3 people involved,” another claimed. “Why was there no announcement over the speakers?” one user questioned, while another asked, “Are the booms weve been hearing due to it?”

Some Facebook users claimed the lockdown was lifted shortly after being put in place. A user said they got a text from Command Staff, which said, “PORT HUENEME. Secure from lockdown. Outbound lanes open. Administrative checks in progress, expect delays.” “Lockdown just lifted,” one user wrote, while another said, “I hope everyone is safe”. A user asked, “Should civilians in surrounding neighborhoods be concerned?”

“It is immediate movement or removal of all personnel from the outside to inside structures. When alerted, occupants of any building within the subject area will lock all access, windows, doors, etc., to prevent entry or exit to anyone until the “all-clear” has sounded. A Lockdown can last a few minutes or several hours, depending on the severity of the situation,” it added.

As a “major shore warfighting platform,” Naval Base Ventura County offers “sustained ready forces to deploy, fight, and win,” according to its website. According to the website, it is “home of the Pacific Seabees, West Coast E-2D Hawkeyes, three warfare centers, and 110 tenant commands and consists of three operating facilities: Point Mugu, Port Hueneme, and San Nicolas Island.”

It adds, “NBVC is strategically located in the coastal area of Southern California which provides direct access to the Point Mugu Sea Range, the largest instrumented Sea Range in the world. NBVC is home to three warfare centers: Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center PHD, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering & Expeditionary Warfare Center.”