After Ike: Federal Support For Essential Missions Continues
Release Date: September 14, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-215
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating the joint efforts of federal, tribal, state and local partners as they work to help those hurt or put at risk by the passage of Hurricane Ike. President George W. Bush declared major disasters in Texas and Louisiana, making available federal funds to assist individuals and communities in their recovery.
Local, state and federal emergency responders are engaged in search and rescue and life-saving efforts and are providing those in need with water, food, and medical care. More than 2,500 search and rescue missions have already been completed. When these life saving and safety missions are completed, emphasis will shift to recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Ike remains a powerful storm as it moves inland. Residents should remain under shelter and wait for the storm to pass. It is extremely important for citizens to continue to listen to guidance and direction from state and local authorities.
Residents in the affected areas are reminded that power, water, sewage and medical assistance may be limited in the aftermath of a storm. In addition, first responders are often challenged when people who were out of harm's way return early and then require support. Evacuees should wait until essential services are restored before returning home to ensure their safety and the safety of their neighbors.
Individuals in counties in the declared disaster zone can register for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or at www.fema.gov. Mobile registration centers will move into the region to assist those without telephone or internet access to apply for assistance.
People outside the storm's path can help. FEMA has partnered with the Aidmatrix Foundation to help companies and individuals offer their support through an online portal. This portal is designed to make it as easy as possible to offer financial support, product donations, or to donate skills and time to nonprofit organizations active in disaster relief. To make a contribution or to volunteer, visit www.aidmatrixnetwork.org.
Overview of Federal Assets and Activities:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- FEMA is supporting search and rescue operations and other life-saving and life-preserving activities. 527 Search and Rescue personnel and 120 vehicles are operating in Texas and 860 personnel and 80 vehicles in Louisiana (these numbers represent combined federal and state assets.)
- FEMA is supporting Texas and Louisiana with millions of meals, millions of bottles of water; hundreds of generators; hundreds of thousands of blankets and cots; twenty five thousand rolls of plastic sheeting and eighteen thousand tarps. Contracts have been activated to supplement existing resources without shifting resources from other disaster operations. FEMA is also working with the private sector and voluntary agencies to enhance their abilities to provide resources and support to communities before and after a storm.
- FEMA activated the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System to help reunite families that have become separated as a result of Hurricane Ike. It can be accessed online at www.fema.gov. People may also call in at 1-800-588-9822, 24-hours a day.
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
- USCG's top priorities are search and rescue operations and the protection and safety of life at sea, both for mariners and residents of the Texas coast. USCG has 11 fixed-wing and 31 rotary-wing air assets onsite, and 5 cutters positioned offshore for post-hurricane response.
- USCG has aircraft conducting search and rescue, port assessments, infrastructure damage assessments and prepared to respond to any oil spill/hazardous material pollution incidents.
- USCG search and rescue teams have already saved 198 lives and 16 animals.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) - TSA has more than 370 Transportation Security Officers at the Houston-area airports supporting efforts to reestablish airport operations.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) - Approximately 385 personnel are assisting in the response to Hurricane Ike, including law enforcement officers, technical experts and other operations support personnel to perform missions such as search and rescue, airborne reconnaissance, ground support, evacuation of special or medical needs citizens and law enforcement support.
- CBP aircraft are flying post storm damage assessment sorties in Texas and Louisiana using both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
National Protection and Programs Directorate
National Communications System (NCS) - Using the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) NCS is able to determine that there are numerous wireline and wireless communications outages -- mostly east and southeast of Houston. DIRS is a system that collects communications data on wireline and wireless communications networks, broadcast transmitter systems, cable systems and public safety answering points during emergencies which provides NCS with a sense of the impact to the communications infrastructure.
- NCS is assisting the telecommunications industry companies in resolving access, security and fuel issues so that they can get to Galveston Island and make assessments, as well as, start restoration efforts. Texas has deployed 2 portable cell sites to provide first responders with communications. Private industry is also responding with local land mobile radio systems for first responders. Currently, the Public Safety Answering Points on Galveston Island are being rerouted.
- NCS Shared Resources (SHARES) High Frequency Radio Network remains at highest level and staff continue to provide spot reports to the NCC as received from field stations available to assist with traffic relays for Federal officials if required. SHARES pass emergency messages when normal communications are destroyed or unavailable.
Infrastructure Protection (IP)
- IP and the Sector Specific Agencies are working with the private Sector Coordinating Councils and state and local officials to assess damage to critical infrastructure - focusing on electric power grids; oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities; pipelines and rail transportation; and chemical facilities.
- 14 IP Protective Security Advisors have deployed to Texas and Louisiana to support the assessment of impacts to critical infrastructure; and to coordinate the prioritization of restoration electrical, water, transportation, and telecommunications infrastructure; and to assist private sector partners with reentry issues and imagery requests.
- IP is continuing to generate up-to-the-minute critical infrastructure impact assessments and computer modeling data; and to garner aerial imagery. These assessments are being provided to private sector owners and operators, state and local response officials, and other relevant federal departments and agencies via the Homeland Security Information Network.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- More than 2.5 million customers are reported without power in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
- More than 98% of the Gulf's natural gas and crude production remains shut-in. Fifteen refineries in Texas and Louisiana are reported shut down due to Hurricane Ike.
- DOE has agreed to deliver 200,000 barrels of emergency exchange oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ConocoPhillips Company's Wood River refinery along the Capline pipeline system, and an additional 109,000 barrels of emergency exchange oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Placid Oil's Port Allen refinery along a Shell pipeline in Louisiana.
- DOE encourages anyone who feels they may have witnessed gas price gouging to report it on our web site at: gaswatch.energy.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- DOJ's Disaster Fraud Hotline continues to operate. Members of the public can report fraud, waste, abuse or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations through the Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, the Disaster Fraud Fax at 225-334-4707 or the Disaster Fraud e-mail at disaster@leo.gov. Individuals can also report criminal activity to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or www.fbi.gov.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB)
- Thousands of National Guard members from 19 states are moving supplies and people to help those in affected areas.
- There are two NGB Civil Support Team in Texas conducting environmental assessments and identifying potential hazards caused by Hurricane Ike.
- The Texas National Guard has deployed ground support troops to Lufkin, Beaumont and Galveston to reinforce the hurricane relief efforts in Southeast Texas.
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)
- Military search and rescue (SAR) personnel and equipment are prepared to assist civil authorities in saving lives and preventing human suffering. SAR is conducted as a fully integrated, interagency operation that includes federal, state, tribal and local governments, private sector, non-governmental organizations, and international partners.
- USNORTHCOM has conducted SAR operations using HH-60 helicopters as part of a unified federal, state and local SAR effort. In total, the combined (DOD, USCG, National Guard) SAR effort has nearly 100 helicopter search and rescue assets and four C-130s to execute this operation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- Nearly 800 USACE personnel are engaged currently in hurricane emergency response.
- One of USACE's highest priorities is to survey Houston's channels and ports in order to quickly return the nation's second largest port to full commercial capacity. USACE has a rigorous schedule set up to conduct hydrographic and side scan sonar surveys of the Houston/Galveston Bay complex and the Sabine Neches Waterway. USACE is planning to survey these waterways in the next two days, and will begin to survey Freeport, Matagorda, the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, the Victoria Barge Channel, and Chocolate Bayou today.
- USACE is conducting power assessments and providing generators for critical public facilities, such as hospitals, police stations, and water treatment facilities.
- USACE is coordinating the efforts of the Interagency Debris Task Force that is comprised of local, state and federal agencies. USACE is working with the City of Houston to assess debris management needs for rapid cleanup.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- The Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center in Houston reports all patients and staff are in good condition. The center is back on commercial power, with computerized patient records fully accessible and air-conditioning available to all units.
- Veterans with urgent care needs who were evacuated from the path of the storm may contact any VA facility by dialing 1-800-507-4571. This phone number may also be used by families and friends looking for information about loved ones who were patients at effected VA facilities.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- HUD has began providing FEMA with National Housing Locator System (NHLS) lists of housing available within a 250 mile radius of Houston to assist with families that may be displaced. The NHLS contained more than 250,000 available properties prior to the hurricane.
- HUD's public housing and multifamily assessment teams will begin housing assessments on Monday morning.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- HHS announced up to $2 million in individual assistance for victims of Hurricane Ike from affected counties in Texas, through a new Emergency Prescription Assistance Program administrated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The program is an efficient way for pharmacies to process claims for prescription medications and certain durable medical equipment items for individuals who do not have any form of health insurance coverage.
- HHS personnel are providing medical support to the Urban Search and Rescue teams.
- HHS is repositioning Disaster Medical Assistance Teams to provide medical support to evacuation shelters in Houston and Beaumont.
- HHS is managing 3 Federal Medical Stations (FMS) in College Station and San Antonio, Texas with a 1,682 bed capacity - currently they are approximately 45% occupied.
- HHS is continuing its post storm medical and health care facility assessment. HHS is focusing on assessing current power and operational capabilities of hospitals and nursing homes in the affected areas.
- HHS will support the re-entry of evacuated patients back to their communities when it is safe to re-locate them. HHS has a 20 person patient advocacy team on the ground to support and coordinate the services for re-entry.
- HHS disseminated public health messages related to the floods on carbon monoxide risks, water safety and flood clean-up issues.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- CDC has deployed 16 staff members to Texas to assist state and local health departments in preparation for the landfall of Hurricane Ike. Among those personnel are teams with supplies and equipment to support FMS operations.
- CDC disseminated Public Service Announcements with health protection messages related to floods (flood readiness, drowning prevention, food and water safety, wet appliances, and food water clean-up) to Arkansas and Missouri state radio broadcast organizations. These resources are available as audio files, read-aloud scripts, and in foreign languages at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/psa/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- EPA has four teams in Texas conducting reconnaissance activities related to potential hazardous material spills and other environmental concerns.
- EPA's Louisiana reconnaissance team is conducting activities in southern Louisiana.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- NOAA aircraft are prepared for damage assessment flights.
- NOAA navigation response crews are working on surveys in Sabine Pass, Galveston Harbor, and Houston, Texas. NOAA hazardous materials scientific support teams are prepared for deployment.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- SBA has 41 staff in Texas, including customer service representatives, public information officers and managers, who are preparing for the recovery phase.
- SBA continues to communicate with state and federal partners, and is prepared to respond to requests for long-term recovery assistance.
The American Red Cross (ARC)
- ARC continues to support federal search and rescue efforts by maintaining shelters in safe locations. ARC is tending to the emergency needs of people once they've been rescued, through the thousands of relief workers on the ground providing food, shelter, counseling and other critical services.
- ARC had more than 180 shelters open last night with a total population of more than 22,000 individuals. Residents are encouraged to remain in those shelters until it is safe to return home.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
- USPS is advising customers that as roads become impassable or unsafe for travel, mail delivery services will be curtailed, and mail collection schedules from mail collection boxes will be suspended.
- USPS liaisons are visiting shelters across the region to help residents who need to reroute their mail to a temporary address. Postal customers can also visit www.usps.com to check on their post office's status or to make a change of address request.
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)
- GSA's Office of Emergency Response and Recovery is coordinating escort for any trucks with critical shipments.
- Contracting and Acquisitions Officers are standing by to facilitate and expedite any required acquisitions.
- A list of Federal Building closures can be found at www.GSA.gov.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- OPM activated its toll-free assistance hotline number (1-800-307-8298) for Federal employees and retirees residing in areas - including the southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts - impacted by Hurricane Ike.
- Federal employees with access to the internet can receive updated and important information on benefits, flexibilities and payroll at www.opm.gov/hurricane/index.asp.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. For more information on FEMA activities visit www.FEMA.gov and for more information on personal preparedness see www.Ready.gov.
Last Modified: Sunday, 14-Sep-2008 16:56:19