FEMA Readies Damage Assessment Teams Throughout Northeast
Release Date: April 16, 2007
Release Number: R1-07-003
Boston, Mass. -- Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is mobilizing preliminary damage assessment teams today in anticipation of widespread flooding and coastal damage from New Jersey to Maine. The teams will be ready to deploy to any state along the northeast corridor to support state emergency operations with assessing the extent of damages brought on by the nor'easter.
"We are in constant contact with all the affected states and we are ready to respond once the storm passes," said Art Cleaves, FEMA Regional Administrator in Boston . "We are already hearing of flooding concerns and coastal erosion and damage in many states but we won't be able to get a full assessment until after the storm passes and we can get our teams out there to check the extent of the damage."
In addition to readying damage assessment teams, FEMA is positioning more than 100 generators in Edison , NJ to be distributed should they be needed to restore power in affected areas. Early state reports indicate more than 100,000 people in the northeast are without power.
"Having generators pre-positioned in the northeast with allow us to meet states' needs very quickly in keeping critical infrastructure operating," said Steven Kempf, Jr., FEMA Regional Administrator in New York .
FEMA's Regional Response Coordination Centers (RRCC) in Maynard , MA and New York , NY are fully operational and are coordinating needed assets with states. In addition to FEMA operations staff, personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Health and Human Services, Department of Defense and the Red Cross are also staffing the RRCC's.
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, 17-Apr-2007 08:29:08