FEMA Continues To Coordinate Federal Efforts To Meet State Needs
Release Date: May 12, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-071
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to coordinate the federal response to help states impacted by severe storms and tornadoes over this last weekend. State and local resources are addressing the most immediate needs as federal resources support their efforts.
Response efforts continue to focus on assessing needs and coordinating with partners in state and federal government, as well as with nongovernmental agencies to meet the needs identified. Joint federal-state Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) are under way in Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma today.
Additionally, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA Administrator David Paulison plan to meet with state and local officials tomorrow in Oklahoma and Missouri. Secretary Chertoff and Administrator Paulison will take aerial surveys in Oklahoma and Missouri and also be on the ground in the hard hit communities to personally tour the damage. Following their tours, they will hold press conferences with Oklahoma Governor C. Brad Henry, and Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, respectively.
FEDERAL ACTIONS
FEMA Region IV:
- The Region IV Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Thomasville, Ga., has been active since Sunday and is maintaining open communications with all affected states.
- FEMAs Region IV Regional Administrator Phil May accompanied Governor Perdue on a flyover of Georgia communities to personally view the debris left by Sundays storms.
- PDA teams will be in the Georgia counties of Bibb, Carroll, Douglas, Johnson, Laurens, Jefferson and McIntosh today and tomorrow. The PDAs will be for five Public Assistance (PA) and seven Individual (IA) teams.
- A FEMA liaison has been assigned to the Georgia EOC.
FEMA Region VI:
- FEMA Region VI in Denton, Texas is in contact with emergency management officials in both Oklahoma and Arkansas.
- Existing federal/state Joint Field Offices (JFOs) are open in both states with FEMA staff already on-site.
- The RRCC remains activated in order to closely monitor the situation.
- IA PDAs for Ottawa County, Okla. begin today.
FEMA Region VII:
- FEMAs Region VII Regional Administrator Dick Hainje joined Governor Blunt on a fly-over of affected areas in southwest Missouri this afternoon. They discussed their findings at a press conference later this afternoon.
- At the request of the state of Missouri, PDA teams are deploying to Jasper, Newton, and Barry counties today.
- Both the RRCC and the JFO in Missouri continue to participate in conference calls between state and affected counties and will assist with reports from PDA teams.
- FEMA staff from existing disaster field operations are supporting response needs.
- A Mobile Disaster Recovery Center is being moved to Newton County to provide satellite communications support.
- AmeriCorps has volunteers in damaged areas providing volunteer management; a donations warehouse has been established in Neosho; a local service number to take "want help/need help calls is operational in Newton County.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
- EPA is sending staff to assess possible damage to the Superfund site located near the Town of Picher in Oklahoma.
Health and Human Services (HHS):
- HHS Regions coordinated with affected states' health departments
and continues to monitor. No requests for federal public health and
medical assistance have been made at this time.
National Guard Bureau (NGB):
Missouri National Guard Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated.
- Conducting security operations in the States of Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
- JET Team on standby.
- 50 personnel in Stuttgart, AR
- 25 personnel in Picher, OK
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: Monday, 12-May-2008 17:33:41