Preparations For Hurricane Jeanne In High Gear At FEMA
Release Date: September 24, 2004
Release Number: HQ-04-208
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today is continuing preparations for Hurricane Jeanne, one day before the fourth hurricane in six weeks is expected to hit Florida.
Emergency specialists are working to pre-position as many supplies at they can in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina so they can move quickly to get help to disaster victims if the hurricane hits the east coast of Florida tomorrow and then moves up the East Coast as predicted.
Supplies and equipment already staged throughout Florida in Jacksonville, Ocala, Lakeland, Port St. Lucie, Homestead Air Force Base, Alva, Charlotte County Airport, and Eglin Air Force Base, include ice, water, meals ready to eat (MREs), generators, roofing plastic, travel trailers and large trailer-size containers of emergency supplies such as cots, blankets, flashlights and plastic tarps.
FEMA has staged eight of its trailer sized emergency supplies containers, developed through its new Pre-Positioned Disaster Supplies program (PPDS), at Eglin AFB, with an additional four staged in Punta Gorda, Fla. In addition, there is a PPDS Initial Response Resources container designed to support a 500-person shelter staged in South Carolina. Seven PPDS containers have also been provided to the Red Cross in Pensacola, Fla.
Personnel activated or on alert for Hurricane Jeanne include Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces as well as personnel from FEMA’s Mobile Emergency Response System (MERS). MERS is responsible for providing emergency power and telecommunications support for response efforts. The MERS vehicles are equipped with self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics and operations support elements that can be driven or airlifted to disaster locations.
An Emergency Management Assistance Compact Team, EMAC-A, is setting up operations at the Florida EOC to assist with planning and preparations for Jeanne’s landfall and the ongoing Charley, Frances and Ivan recovery. The EMAC team is made up of emergency management specialists from other states that are deployed through mutual aid agreements.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Friday, 24-Sep-2004 19:16:19