FEMA Responds to Hawaii Earthquake
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was working side-by-side their state counterparts within 30 minutes following the 6.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Hawaii's Big Island Oct.15. After reporting to the State Emergency Operations Center, the director of FEMA's Region IX Pacific Area Office (PAO) notified the regional headquarters in Oakland, California, setting in motion the activation of an emergency operations center there. Quick action and cooperation between the FEMA, the state, and local officials resulted in a presidential disaster declaration by Tuesday, two days after the earthquake.
The declaration includes public assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures and a grant for hazard mitigation. The PAO also deployed a Federal-State rapid needs team and a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) to the Big Island within hours on a U.S. Coast Guard C-130 aircraft. By late Monday, an Emergency Response Team from Oakland, California arrived in Hawaii and coordinated with county and local jurisdictions to perform PDAs in designated counties. So far, Preliminary Disaster Assistance (PDA) teams have visited more than 1,200 private homes to assess damages to private property. Current damage estimates on the big islands are running into the millions for public buildings and schools, roads, bridges, businesses, electric companies, hospitals, and harbors.
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Last Modified: Saturday, 18-Nov-2006 02:59:26 EST