Before & After: Prepare For Hanna, Recover From Gustav

Release Date: September 3, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-183

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with numerous federal agencies and voluntary organizations to support state and local authorities in the Southeastern United States as they prepare for Hurricane Hanna even as they continue to support efforts in the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Gustav.

Federal, state and local resources in the Gulf Coast, and particularly in Louisiana and Mississippi, are focused on life-saving and safety-related activities. Federal officials understand that people will be anxious to return home following the storm, but are asking for everyone to be patient and to wait for the "all clear" from state and local officials. Evacuees attempting to return home early face road blocks, traffic delays, serious health hazards, as well as limited or no water, food, utility service, health care, and hospital access. Evacuees should remember that grocery stores, other retail establishments, hospitals, and other businesses face the same issues, and may not even be able to open their doors for some time. Recovery will take time, but federal resources will support the rebuilding effort.

Gulf Coast residents benefitted from their strong preparations and willingness to listen to local, state and federal officials on actions they could take to prepare as well as the need to evacuate. Residents in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina who face the potential threat of Hurricane Hanna should take similar precautions. Individuals, families and businesses should develop their own emergency plan. They should prepare an emergency kit with medicine, food, water, batteries and other materials that will help them to support themselves and their families for 72 hours as debris and weather can limit government response times. Everyone should pay attention to local media broadcasts and respect any evacuation order issued by state and local authorities. Residents are reminded to include text messaging in their communication plans in case cellular calls are limited. Information is available at www.Ready.gov on how families and individuals can best prepare before the storm.

An interagency team of federal, state and local officials also continues to monitor the progress of Hanna and to review preparations and plans to ensure Southeastern communities are as prepared as Gulf Coast communities were last week. Many agencies have positioned staff, supplies and resources to ensure they are ready to supplement state and local efforts should such actions be warranted.

Snapshot of Federal Resources Supporting Recovery Efforts In The Gulf Coast:

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA's emergency teams and resources are deployed and configured for a coordinated response in support of state and local efforts. Pre-staged life-saving and life-sustaining commodities such as water, meals, and tarps are available to state and local officials as well as residents in affected areas.
FEMA has activated the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System and National Emergency Child Locator Center to help family members, who may become separated as a result of the storm, find one another. Individuals and families may register on the internet at www.FEMA.gov or call the toll free number at 1-800-588-9822.
FEMA has partnered with the Aidmatrix Foundation to launch a virtual portal that allows companies or individuals to offer their support online to leading organizations in humanitarian relief. This portal is designed to make it as easy to offer financial support, product donations, or to donate your skills and time to nonprofit organizations active in disaster relief. To make a financial contribution to the voluntary organization of your choice, visit www.aidmatrixnetwork.org.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

USCG's top priority remains search and rescue operations and the protection and safety of life at sea, both for mariners and residents of the Gulf coast, as well as for Coast Guard members. To meet potential needs, USCG has put additional ships, fixed and rotary wing aircraft, medical teams, disaster assistance response teams and other personnel on call to ensure a rapid response to any emergency calls.
USCG continues to conduct port assessment operations. USCG forces have been deployed to conduct response, recovery and clean up operations. USCG's mission is to open the ports as soon as possible with minimum effect on commerce.
USCG is working with local, state and federal agencies to in support of coordinated severe weather response operations, including search and rescue support, waterway and facility assessments, restoration of aids to navigation, responding to hazardous materials spills, transport of victims and providing airborne logistics support.

National Protection and Programs Directorate/Infrastructure Protection (NPPD/IP)

IP's Incident Management Cell (IMC) is providing integrated situational awareness and national-level coordination for the private Sector Coordinating Councils, federal Sector Specific Agencies, owners and operators, and State and local officials and is conducting private-sector outreach calls on a daily basis to all 18 critical sectors. The IMC has provided detailed geospatial data and analyses to aid critical infrastructure recovery teams, and is currently working with CBP to identify and disseminate timely aerial imagery of critical infrastructure in the affected area.
IP has deployed 29 Protective Security Advisors (PSAs) to the affected areas, including a 4-person Infrastructure Liaison Team to support the Joint Field Office (JFO). The PSAs are currently advising the JFO on issues regarding impacts within the incident area, and serving as the central coordination point for sector response and recovery efforts. The PSAs are working closely with CBP to coordinate imagery over-flights of critical infrastructure in the affected areas.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

CBP deployed an additional 61 personnel to the area affected by Gustav to perform post-hurricane damage assessments (in addition to the 99 CBP personnel already deployed to the area)
CBP's Air and Marine office has flown more than 100 hours of assessment missions using both manned and unmanned aircraft.

The National Communications System (NCS)

The Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System, run by the National Communications System (NCS), provides priority provisioning and restoration to telecommunications services that support National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP). As the Nation moves into the recovery and restoration phases of Hurricane Gustav, TSP becomes a critical part of those efforts in the Gulf States. Currently, the NCS is tracking and responding to over 200 restoration and a dozen provisioning requests from Federal, state and local government, and emergency response organizations in the Gulf Coast states.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

TSA officers and staff who were deployed to New Orleans to help passengers evacuate in advance of Gustav returned today to prepare for the resumption of commercial service at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The first flights are scheduled to depart tomorrow morning.
The returning team includes 135 transportation security officers who will operate the airport's checkpoints starting tomorrow morning and remain in place until local TSA New Orleans personnel return to work later in the week. Federal air marshals also will be on site to support security operations at the airport.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA is assisting the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in response efforts regarding livestock and poultry impacted by Hurricane Gustav. Efforts are focused on determining damage to the livestock and poultry industries and to determine future response needs and activities.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the 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 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

HHS has partnered with Catholic Charities to provide a nationwide network of case managers who can help link affected individuals to services they need to gain self-sufficiency.
The Disaster Case Management program will integrate existing state, local, and voluntary agency programs to create one seamless case management program.
Services to which the affected individual will be linked include: emergency food, housing and shelter, temporary financial assistance, health care, mental health care and counseling and many others.
Most importantly, the program will follow affected individuals throughout their recovery process to make sure they are receiving the assistance they need.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAA post-landfall functions such as navigation response teams, hazardous materials incident scientific support are staged and prepared for deployment. One navigation response team is conducting waterway survey in Mobile, Ala. A NOAA aircraft flew post-damage assessment of major waterways.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

In the States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, as of approximately 9:00 AM EDT September 3, 2008, there are 1,329,878 customers reported without power, including 1,171,574 in Louisiana,64,277 in Mississippi, and 94,027 in Arkansas. The timeline for full restoration remains uncertain but could take several weeks due to extensive damage and difficulty in accessing affected areas.
DOE is working with local utility companies such as Entergy, which has more than 10,000 workers from more than 25 states restoring service to the system.

Department of Defense (DOD)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

USACE's Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS) operated as designed.
Over the next few days, USACE aerial and visual inspections of the levees and other structures in Southeast Louisiana will provide further information on damages incurred and needed repairs.

U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB)

More than 17,000 National Guard members from 25 states are actively supporting recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region
There are 20 National Guard engineer work teams with heavy equipment clearing roads and more than 70 aviation assets providing logistic support and damage assessment in the affected regions of Louisiana
The National Guard has set up over 40 Points of Distribution and are providing a total of 74,000 Meals-Ready-to-Eat and 23 pallets of water to the citizens of Louisiana

Department of Justice (DOJ)

DOJ's Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force is reminding members of the public to report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to Hurricane Gustav.
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.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)

Four hundred federal law enforcement officers are deployed across the region is support of state and local law enforcement missions.
ATF has identified 2,700 federal law enforcement officers available should additional needs require supplemental support.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA is conducting aerial and field reconnaissance activities. EPA aircraft flew yesterday to assess hurricane impacted areas of St. Bernard and Orleans parish. Data from field and aerial assessments will inform decisions for additional assessment activities.
EPA is working with state agencies on water safety, wastewater issues, generator use, lead paint, mold, and more.

U.S. Postal Service (USPS)

Postal Service operations have returned to normal except in the most severely affected areas. All Texas, Alabama and Mississippi Post Offices and facilities are open for business.
Collection and delivery of mail will be normal in all areas except for those that may be restricted by public safety officials or inaccessible due to high water. USPS has procedures in place to help customers reestablish connection with their mail as soon as weather conditions allows. USPS is working closely with the Social Security Administration and other agencies to continue disbursing checks that have not been received. Customers are encouraged to go to the Social Security website, www.SSA.gov and click on the Hurricane Gustav link for more information.
For updated information concerning the impact of Hurricane Gustav on Delivery and Retail Services, please visit www.USPS.com.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

All interstate highways have been re-opened and state and county/parish roads are resuming service as debris is cleared.
The Port of New Orleans remains closed. All other ports have re-opened.
Baton Rouge Airport is up and running, New Orleans' Louis Armstrong Airport should be completely online by tomorrow.
Most of the freight lines are operational, but debris on the tracks will continue to impact rail traffic.

American Red Cross (ARC)

The first priority of the American Red Cross during this disaster is to provide people with food, shelter, comfort and emotional support including:
- 558 Shelter and Evacuation Centers providing 149,840 overnight stays.
- 167,042 meals and 166,095 snacks served.
- 8,616 comfort kits distributed.
- 249 Emergency Response Vehicles and 4,428 Red Cross workers supporting these efforts.
ARC encourages evacuees to register as "Safe and Well" at www.RedCross.org. Concerned family and friends can search the list of those who have registered themselves as "safe and well."

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

SBA has 113 Office of Disaster Assistance employees deployed in the immediately affected areas. Those direct responders are being supported by 135 Disaster Customer Service Center representatives. Standing by are 699 staffers ready to process disaster loan applications, 83 field inspection team members, and 200 reservists.
SBA has 1,140 employees working to respond to the situation created by Hurricane Gustav.

U.S. Department of Treasury

Treasury's Bureau of Public Debt has announced the expedited replacement or payment of savings bonds for owners in affected parishes, waiving the normal one-year holding period. Procedures are effective immediately.

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)

DOI has deployed 30 Search & Rescue boat units from the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
DOI's Minerals Management Service has activated its "Continuity of Operations Plan" team to monitor activities of Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas operators and is working with those operators to restore oil and natural gas production as quickly as possible while preventing oil spills that can threaten the environment.
Minerals Management Service and U.S. Coast Guard are coordinating with offshore operators to locate and evaluate oil sheen in the Gulf reported by Shell Oil Company and will inform DHS and other federal agencies of the source and scale of sheen as soon as inspection is completed.
DOI estimates that some offshore oil and gas production could be restarted by the end of this week and most production could be back online in about two weeks.
DOI's U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) EROS Data Center is coordinating video and still photography over flights of Gulf coastal areas and barrier islands and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) flights along Louisiana and Mississippi coasts to document coastal change, erosion and other damage to these areas from Gustav.
National parks, wildlife refuges and other DOI facilities in Gulf coastal areas affected by Gustav remain closed as damage assessments continue.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD's National Housing Locator (NHL) is ready to assist the Red Cross and FEMA with helping residents find long-term, temporary housing should that become necessary. This will help state and public housing authorities and other first responders in rapidly identifying rental housing during a disaster. Updated daily, the NHL combines federal housing resources with nine commercial data providers (apartment locators and housing websites). It will also include subsidized vacancy units. Currently, 350,000 units are available nationwide, including units 64,426 along the Gulf Coast.
HUD is focused on foreclosure prevention and will establish a 90-day foreclosure moratorium on properties in Presidentially-declared disaster areas. Under the moratorium, lenders may not initiate new foreclosure actions nor continue the processing of foreclosures already underway. The purpose of a moratorium is to give affected families an opportunity to assess their situations and take appropriate actions to get their lives back on track. HUD recognizes that families may need time to deal with damage to their homes, temporary breaks in employment, or other types of disruptions and wants to make sure that they are supported in making arrangements and taking care of their homes and finances.

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL has income support and employment resources for workers whose jobs may be impacted -- temporally or permanently -- by the hurricane.
Workers who are temporarily or permanently unemployed as a result of the Hurricane can contact the DOL's national toll-free hotline, 1-866-4-USA-DOL, or 1-866-487-2365 to connect with state and local officials in their states that can help them apply for income support and employment benefits.
DOL has mobilized core Hurricane Response Team of senior officials.
The Hurricane Response Team has reached out to leaders in states that are in the hurricane's projected path to expedite access to emergency funds for temporary income support and other employment and training assistance for anyone who may be displaced from their job.
DOL is also facilitating the sharing of resources - staff and mobile One-Stop Career Center units - among states in the Gulf Region to assure that people in the impacted area will have access to benefits and services in the aftermath of storm landfall.
DOL is also working closely with our federal counterparts at the Department of Health and Human Services and FEMA to coordinate resources and information to individuals and families to help meet their medical, food, clothing and other human service needs.

Snapshot of Federal Resources Supporting Preparations In The Southeast:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA has identified and designated specific staff and assets to insure their availability for any preparations or response activities.
FEMA is leading an interagency team to coordinate preparations and planning activities with federal, state and local governments and to ensure that communities in the Southeast are as prepared for Hanna as the Gulf Coast was for Gustav.

Ready.gov

The Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign encourages citizens to get an emergency supply kit, make an emergency plan, and be informed about what to do if these Tropical Storms gain strength, turn into hurricanes, and head in their direction.
Ready's Web site, www.ready.gov, is a free resource where individuals can find an emergency supply checklist, download an emergency plan and link to local information

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

To meet potential needs, USCG has put additional ships, fixed and rotary wing aircraft, medical teams, disaster assistance response teams and other personnel on call to ensure a rapid response to Hannah.

Transportations Security Administration (TSA)

TSA is prepared to support East Coast airports in the event evacuations are needed, with more than 220 Transportation Security Officers from across the country are on alert to deploy.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

CBP's unmanned aircraft are scheduled to conduct a pre-assessment of the Georgia and Florida coastline in advance of Hanna.
CBP has established locations for pre-deployment and deployment of recovery assets in Georgia and South Carolina as well as a contingency location in Florida if needed.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

USCIS is taking precautionary actions to prevent or lessen damage or loss: sensitive equipment and records are being protected.
USCIS is advising customers to take all necessary actions to protect their documents and inform them that if they are evacuated, or a USCIS office is closed, they can temporarily make an appointment in another USCIS office.

The National Communications System (NCS)

NCS coordinates national security and emergency preparedness communications response and recovery efforts for federal, state and local leaders, emergency responders and leaders of critical infrastructure during emergencies.
NCS deployed personnel to the Atlanta and Philadelphia Joint Field Offices.

National Protection and Programs Directorate/Infrastructure Protection (NPPD/IP)

IP has deployed a Protective Security Advisor (PSAs) to Atlanta to augment support for monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Hanna, and to begin assessing potential critical infrastructure impacts and coordinating any necessary response efforts.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Storms Hanna, Ike and Josephine, issuing watches and warnings as needed.
NOAA aircraft are flying missions into Tropical Storm Hanna providing data on the storm for research and operational forecasts. NOAA's geostationary and polar orbiting satellites are also providing valuable data to hurricane forecasters.

U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB)

National Guard units are standing by with people and equipment to assist civil authorities and first responders in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
More than 28,000 National Guard members are poised and ready to respond in the projected area if needed in response to Tropical Storm Hanna's potential landfall.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

USACE is re-positioning teams and assets out of Mississippi and Alabama to prepare for Hanna.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA is working with member organizations of the National Animal Rescue and Shelter Coalition to help states find additional pet evacuation resources such as carriers and food.
USDA is assessing shelters to ensure that conditions are suitable for animal welfare and monitoring local animal control officials' animal husbandry practices at evacuation locations, pickup points, and shelter locations.

National Aeronautical and Space Administration

Awaiting the landfall of Hurricane Hanna, NASA's Kennedy Space Center has still not set a date for the roll out the Space Shuttle Atlantis to its launch pad.

The American Red Cross (ARC)

ARC is preparing to help residents in the path of Hanna. Resources are already in place to provide food, shelter and emotional support.
ARC is reviewing staff and commodities in east coast states to ensure sufficient support for any preparatory or response operations.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA is working with the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida in anticipation of Hanna making landfall later this week.

U.S. Department of State (State)

State has approved the authorized departure of non-emergency employees and eligible family members from our embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The Embassy will continue to provide emergency services to American citizens, is contacting the local American citizen community via its warden network regarding this change in status and will offer information to private American citizens wishing to leave the country on commercial carriers.

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: Wednesday, 03-Sep-2008 19:26:56

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Disaster Assistance: (800) 621-FEMA