Federal Responders Continue to Monitor And Plan for Hurricane Dean's Impact
Release Date: August 20, 2007
Release Number: HQ-07-167
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The federal government continues to calibrate its response to Hurricane Dean as the storm tracks south of the United States and into the Gulf of Mexico. Federal responders maintained coordination with state and local partners to assess the storm’s projected impact and adapt the efforts already undertaken to determine best use of assets in place.
Even though the current path of the hurricane takes it away from the U.S., FEMA and the other federal agencies involved continue to monitor the storm’s movements and are ready to respond as needed.
“In my thirty years of experience, one thing I’ve learned is that storms are unpredictable and we need to continue to prepare until this storm plays out,” said FEMA Administrator David Paulison.
On Saturday, the President declared an emergency for the State of Texas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to Hurricane Dean. The combined federal response to Hurricane Dean balances the federal responsibility to act and the most cost-effective use of national resources. FEMA also stands ready to support the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development should Mexico request U.S. assistance.
FEMA continues its work with multiple federal agencies to coordinate federal assets to support Texas as needed for evacuations, sheltering and other emergency operations to ensure the safety of the affected population. While FEMA has the primary responsibility for coordinating the federal government’s disaster response efforts, many departments and agencies provide critical support. These include: Department of Defense and Northern Command; Health and Human Services; National Guard; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; and the American Red Cross, among others. Representatives of these agencies are working alongside FEMA counterparts at the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) in Washington, and at the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Texas to better coordinate the federal support to the state of Texas.
In accordance with the Presidential emergency declaration, FEMA Administrator Paulison ordered mission assignments completed to ensure critical resources and operations as needed from other federal agencies are brought to bear in support of Texas.
“The state of Texas has done an outstanding job of preparing their state for this hurricane and the federal forces are poised to respond,” said Paulison. “The ability of the federal government to pull these resources in a coordinated fashion points to the successful planning and partnership of the federal, state and local governments.”
Some of the operations currently underway by federal agencies include:
Federal Emergency Management Agency: FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Centers in Texas and Atlanta remain active. The RRCCs coordinate and sustain response operations, situational awareness, and communications with the states. The regions have also deployed Emergency Response Teams Advance (ERT As). An ERT-N (national) was deployed to the Texas RRCC. FEMA Region VI is prepared to establish a 2,000 person base camp in San Antonio within 72 hours should it become necessary.
The NRCC in Washington was activated last week in response to Hurricane Flossie and remains operational to coordinate federal assets and to support the RRCCs responding to Hurricane Dean. The Chicago-based Federal Incident Response Team (FIRST Team) has deployed to Dallas and stands ready to support state and local governments with technical assistance, situational assessments and help in determining federal resources to request. FIRST team from Atlanta is currently staging at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia. A four-member Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) team from Denver is deploying to support the FIRST Team in Texas.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR): USAR has deployed six teams (approximately 300 personnel) and 1 Incident Support Team to Texas. The teams are: TN-TF1 (Tennessee Type 1 Task Force - approximately 70 personnel plus 10 drivers); NE-TF1 (Nebraska Type 1 - approximately 70 personnel plus 10 drivers); MO-TF3 (Missouri Type 3 Task Force – approximately 28 personnel plus 8 drivers); MD-TF1 (Maryland Type 3 Task Force – approximately 28 personnel plus 8 drivers) UT-TF1 (Utah Type 3 Task Force – approximately 28 personnel plus 8 drivers);and CA-TF6 (California Type 3 Task Force – approximately 28 personnel plus 8 drivers).
Health and Human Services (HHS): On Sunday, August 19, 2007, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt signed a Public Health Emergency Declaration for the state of Texas. In the event Hurricane Dean causes catastrophic damage in Texas, the public health emergency will allow certain federal regulatory requirements to be waived or modified to facilitate more efficient delivery of health care services. There are now six Disaster Medical Assistance Teams in Texas – two in San Antonio, two in El Paso and two in Dallas. The US Public Health Service has a Rapid Deployment Force team in San Antonio to staff a Federal Medical Station (FMS). Each FMS has a 250 bed capacity. In addition to the two FMS already in San Antonio, equipment and supplies for three more FMS have been shipped to Texas.
Department of Transportation (DOT): is assisting in its mission by reporting damage to transportation infrastructure, coordinating alternate transportation, coordinating restoration and recovery of transportation infrastructure, performing activities under authority of DOT elements such as air, maritime, surface, rail and pipelines and coordinating and supporting prevention/preparedness/mitigation among transportation stakeholders at state and local levels.
DOT has deployed personnel to the following locations: six personnel to the Region VI RRCC in Denton; and 12 to Austin (including one at the governor’s office, one with the ERT-A, five at the state Emergency Operations Center, five at Camp Mabry; two in San Antonio, one at Kelly AFB, and one at Ft. Sam Houston). Three additional personnel are en route to Brownsville Airport.
National Guard: The National Guard Bureau is assisting with missions to support aviation, communications, general support and to maintain civil order. Texas National Guard has deployed over 1,500 personnel with up to an additional 1,900 expected to arrive by this evening. Approximately 25 states are supporting Hurricane Dean preparation efforts, pre-positioning needed equipment and personnel. There are currently 25 Guard helicopters available to support with 15 additional in reserve. Two Joint Incident Site Communication Capability (JISCC) packages are available in Texas to support interoperable communications with local and state assets. Four additional JISCC packages are available and pending EMAC request, and 1 JISCC is in Louisiana.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USCAE): USACE resources (including manpower, equipment and contractor support) are poised to respond as required. An element of the 249th Prime Power Battalion is located at Ft. Sam Houston as is a Rapid Response Vehicle. Under USACE authority the Corps of Engineers remains poised to provide for flood fight operations if required. Reservoir operations and river levels are being monitored in the Southwestern Division area of operations in accordance with existing plans.
American Red Cross: An American Red Cross (ARC) leadership teams were deployed to Louisiana and Texas. An Emergency Communication Response Vehicle has been deployed to Austin, Texas. One hundred emergency response vehicles are on alert for deployment and will be pre-staged in Little Rock, Arkansas, and San Antonio, Texas. Staff has been assigned to NRCC, Regions II, IV and VI. There are currently 1,300 Disaster Services Human Resources trained members available for movement. Bulk product orders, delivery addresses and Points of Contact were confirmed for Red Cross logistics delivery to Laredo, Victoria, San Antonio, Edinburgh and Corpus Christi. Eighty six (86) shelter support trailers have been pre-positioned near the area expected to be affected in Texas. Each trailer contains 1600 blankets, 800 cots, and 800 comfort kits.
US Northern Command: USNORTHCOM continues to respond to requests for Department of Defense support in preparation for Hurricane Dean's possible landfall in the United States. USNORTHCOM has deployed the following personnel to support the federal response: A 17-person team from Standing Joint Forces Headquarters - North deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, to Texas, where ten personnel will support the Region VI Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO) in Austin, and seven personnel will support Army North at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Also, a 45-person Mobile Air Support Facility has established operations in Brownsville, Texas, to assist patient evacuation, and an eight-person Joint Patient Movement Team from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, deployed to Austin to help coordinate aeromedical evacuation efforts.
A Joint Interagency Air-Ground Coordination Team from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, deployed to Austin at FEMA's request to assist FEMA and the Texas Emergency Operations Center and to help with aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue efforts. A Federal Operating Staging Area has been established at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. The Region VI Defense Coordinating Officer and a six-person Defense Coordinating Element (DCE) deployed to Corpus Christi, Texas, at FEMA's request prior to landfall of Tropical Storm Erin. The DCO and DCE have moved to Austin, Texas, where they are co-located with FEMA and other responding agency assets. A Joint Regional Medical Planner deployed to Austin to support the Region VI DCO.
Transportation Safety Administration (TSA): TSA has pre-positioned the necessary equipment and supplies at FEMA Region VI in Denton, Texas, and has approx 200 individuals on 24-hour standby to respond as part of their advance and forward teams. The Office of Law Enforcement / Federal Air Marshals (OLE/FAMS) has deployed personnel to McCallen, Harlingen, and Brownsville airports in southern Texas to coordinate with the airport Federal Security Director. OLE/FAMS also has liaison personnel working with FEMA at the command center in Texas and at the NRCC.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA): NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) is continuing to track Hurricane Dean. Currently the NHC is issuing advisories every three hours; at 1400, 1700, 2000, 2300, 0200, 0500, 0800 and 1100 EDT. NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center has been flying surveillance missions utilizing the Gulfstream IV (G-IV). The G-IV provides data from higher altitude (41,000-45,000') areas surrounding the hurricane, providing detailed information on the steering currents affecting the system. NOAA's Satellite and Information Service continues to provide satellite information via its fleet of polar orbiting and geostationary satellites.
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.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Aug-2007 09:36:09