Focus On Safety: Federal Assets Support States Facing Ike
Release Date: September 12, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-209
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with its federal, state and local partners to keep people safe before, during and after Hurricane Ike makes landfall in Texas. President George W. Bush has issued pre-landfall disaster declarations in Texas and Louisiana that enables federal aid to supplement and support any of the immediate response efforts. Ike could also bring heavy winds and rain to Oklahoma, Arkansas and other states as it moves north over the weekend.
Hurricane Ike poses a danger to life and property. Residents should also listen carefully to instructions from local and state officials - especially with regards to evacuations. The lesson learned from earlier evacuations this year is that they reduced the number of injuries and deaths that too often accompany a major storm. Evacuees should also remember that important services such as power, water, sewage and medical assistance may also be limited in the aftermath of a storm and wait to return until essential services are restored.
Federal assets are standing by to support search and rescue missions and other critical life-saving and life-preserving efforts. People outside the storm's path can help, too. Make a donation to a charity supporting our effort, such as the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. FEMA has also partnered with the Aidmatrix Foundation to help companies and individuals offer their support online. This portal is designed to make it as easy to offer financial support, product donations, or to donate skills and time to nonprofit organizations active in disaster relief. To make a contribution or to volunteer, visit www.aidmatrixnetwork.org.
Snapshot Of Federal Support:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- FEMA has pre-positioned staff and assets across the Gulf Coast region to support preparations and response activities. Response teams are in place, to include anticipated commodities and logistical support. Additional details are posted at www.FEMA.gov.
- Urban Search and Rescue Teams are pre-deployed across Texas and in neighboring states where they can quickly assist any rescue operations in the immediate aftermath of a storm.
- FEMA has commodities and emergency resources across Texas including meals, water, blankets, cots, generators and diesel fuel. Contracts have been activated to supplement existing resources without shifting resources from other disaster operations. FEMA is also working with the private sector and voluntary agencies to enhance their abilities to provide resources and support to communities before and after a storm.
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
- USCG continues to conduct port assessment operations and forces have been deployed to conduct response, recovery and clean up operations, and are working with port and industry partners. USCG's mission is to open the ports as soon as possible with minimum effect on commerce.
- USCG has 17 helicopters in Texas and 10 helicopters within reach to support search and rescue operations as needed. USCG also has 10 fixed-wing aircraft to support over-flight and transportation missions.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- USCIS is contacting community organizations and the media to inform them that USCIS will reschedule all appointments in offices that close. USCIS is advising customers to take all necessary actions to protect their documents and inform them that if they are evacuated, or a USCIS office is closed, they can temporarily make an appointment in another USCIS office.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- All residents should respond to local and state evacuation orders. ICE will not conduct immigration enforcement operations associated with evacuations.
- ICE is relocating detainees in facilities that may be impacted by the storm.
National Protection and Programs Directorate
National Communications System (NCS)
- NCS coordinates national security and emergency preparedness communications response and recovery efforts.
- NCS has activated the Disaster Information Reporting System. NCS is also activating the Shared Resources High Frequency Radio Network today to augment FEMA's National Emergency Communications Network and the National Public Health Radio Network maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Infrastructure Protection (IP)
- IP is focused on key elements of the region's infrastructure including power grids and generators; ports, oil, gas and petrochemical facilities; and water and wastewater plants.
- Ten IP Protective Security Advisors have deployed to Texas to coordinate and support preparedness and response efforts and to beginning to identify critical infrastructures in the storm's projected path, and assessing any potential impacts.
- The National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center has generated critical infrastructure impact assessments and computer modeling data that has been shared with private sector owners and operators, state and local response officials, and relevant Federal departments and agencies.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- DOT is facilitating evacuations in coordination with Texas.
- DOT has plans and pre-positioned equipment in place to accelerate thee ability to reopen roads, airports, rail lines and public transit systems following the storm.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- NOAA's National Hurricane Center is monitoring Hurricane Ike, issuing watches and warnings as needed. NOAA's National Weather Service forecast offices in Texas are supporting federal operations in the region as well as state and local emergency managers.
- NOAA's aircraft continue round- the-clock operations in support of hurricane research, reconnaissance and surveillance missions into Hurricane Ike.
- NOAA post-landfall response teams (hazardous materials scientific support, coast survey) are staged and ready for deployment.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB)
- NGB is staging provisions, prepositioning people and equipment, and coordinating with federal, state and local governments.
- More than 1,000 high-water vehicles are prepositioned and ready to support Hurricane Ike operations
- The Texas National Guard conducted air medical evacuations for nearly 500 patients from Corpus Christi and Galveston
- The Texas National Guard, along with DOD and other agencies, is conducting air sweeps of the Texas coast to prepare for Hurricane Ike.
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)
- USNORTHCOM provides DOD capabilities for search and rescue for disaster response operations in support of FEMA and the State of Texas, working closely with federal, local and National Guard Bureau officials.
- USNORTHCOM coordinates unique capabilities to assist federal and state officials that include such things as mobile communications, DOD installations for forward deployment of commodities and equipment, high-water vehicles, flat-bottom boats, and other forces to assist in life saving and sustaining efforts.
- USNORTHCOM, working with U.S. Transportation Command, provided aeromedical evacuation of medical patients from Beaumont Airport, Beaumont, Texas to Easterwood Airport, College Station, Texas and Kelly Annex in San Antonio, Texas.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- More than 700 Corps of Engineer employees are engaged currently in hurricane emergency response.
- USACE has pre-positioned key personnel and equipment so that it can perform debris removal, commodities procurement and delivery, temporary emergency power, temporary housing, temporary roofing, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue missions.
- USACE is working with FEMA to conduct power assessments and pre-position generators for critical public facilities.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- VA staged fuel, water, food, medications, and supplies, and has essential staff to be on-hand to meet the health care needs of veterans in the area.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- DOE remains in close contact with Gulf Coast utilities as they monitor the path of Hurricane Ike and make advance preparations.
- As of noon today, 95.9% of Gulf crude oil production and 73.0% of Gulf natural gas production was shut-in. Sixty-three percent of the Gulf's manned platforms have been evacuated and 66.9 percent of rigs operating in the region have been removed. Eight refineries are reported to be shutting down. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve sites at Bryan Mound, TX, Big Hill, TX, and West Hackberry, LA have been shut down.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- HHS declared a public health emergency to ensure that individuals in Texas, including those enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) continue to receive their health care items and services. The action gives HHS' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs for its Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries.
- HHS is preparing and planning for post-storm medical support including the pre-positioning of HHS strike teams with the Urban Search and Rescue teams.
- HHS supported the evacuation of 700 Special Needs homebound patients from Beaumont to College Station, Texas.
- HHS is continuing to maintain and support operations with personnel, medical materiel and five 250-bed Federal Medical Stations (FMS) located in College Station and San Antonio. These FMS are operational and are currently providing medical care for patients.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- CDC has deployed 23 staff members to Texas to assist state and local health departments in preparation for the landfall of Hurricane Ike. Among those personnel are teams deploying supplies and equipment for FMS.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- HUD has public and multifamily housing assessment teams in position and ready to deploy once Hurricane Ike passes. The teams are responsible for determining long-term housing needs
- HUD is using the National Housing Locator (NHLS) to heavily target support for those in the Houston area as well as the rest of Texas. The NHLS is a searchable, web-based clearinghouse of available rental housing nation-wide. It allows HUD and its business partners, in particular state and public housing authorities, to deliver housing assistance by rapidly locating rental housing and available government-owned single family homes for sale during an emergency.
- HUD has identified over 250,000 units in the region available through the NHLS.
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
- USPS is advising customers that if roads become impassable or unsafe for travel, mail delivery services will be curtailed, and mail collection schedules from mail collection boxes could be suspended.
U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury)
- Treasury worked with the U.S. Social Security Administration and the U.S. Postal Service and delivered approximately 40,150 checks in advance of the storm.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- EPA issued fuel waivers for gasoline sold or distributed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas to allow the early use of "winter fuel." throughout this region.
- EPA distributed information in English and Spanish on drinking water, water wells, generator safety and precautions in returning home.
- EPA reconnaissance teams are pre-staged across Texas including EPA's specialty ASPECT aircraft, helicopter reconnaissance team, a Texas Strike Team, and a communication/satellite team.
National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA)
- NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will remain closed until the storm has passed.
- The International Space Station Flight Control Room at Mission Control in Houston has turned over monitoring and control of the International Space Station to backup teams located near Austin, Texas and Huntsville, Ala.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
- SBA put on stand-by 3,500 Disaster Reservists to prepare to staff up SBA's Disaster Customer Service Center, the Disaster Loan Processing and Disbursement Center, and the Field Inspection Teams.
The American Red Cross (ARC)
- ARC relief workers have mobilized to Texas and remain on-hand in Louisiana, where supplies are in place and preparations are being made to help provide relief. ARC continues to work with partners such as the NAAP, National Baptist Convention, Catholic Charities and more to coordinate human and material assets along the affected area.
- In Texas, ARC has more than one million shelf stable meals in place along with more than 2,000 staff and more than 100 Emergency Response Vehicles. Systems are in place to support as many as 30 field kitchens and to provide more than 500,000 meals per day.
- In Louisiana, ARC has more than 2,200 staff already supporting 13 shelters and providing more than 74,000 meals per day.
- ARC is also planning and pre-staging personnel and materials in Oklahoma and Arkansas as the storm could move quickly and impact residents in those states.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- USDA is providing 3,500 cases of infant formula and baby food to shelters in Texas.
- USDA is using public service announcements and working with local government to educate residents about how to keep food safe during power outages and how to prevent food borne illness once families return to their homes.
- Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)
- GSA's Office of Emergency Response and Recovery is coordinating escort for any trucks with critical shipments.
- Contracting and Acquisitions Officers are standing by to facilitate and expedited any required acquisitions.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- OPM is activating its toll-free assistance hotline number (1-800-307-8298) for Federal employees and retirees residing in areas - including the southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts - expected to be impacted by Hurricane Ike.
- Federal employees with access to the internet can receive updated and important information on benefits, flexibilities and payroll at www.opm.gov/hurricane/index.asp.
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. For more information on FEMA activities visit www.FEMA.gov and for more information on personal preparedness see www.Ready.gov.
Last Modified: Friday, 12-Sep-2008 16:59:01