Local, State, Tribal And Federal Emergency Managers Fully Engaged In North Dakota Flood Response
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Number: 1829-002
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Bismarck, N.D. -- A large-scale coordinated response of local, state, tribal and federal agencies is underway in North Dakota. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating the national response of key federal agencies to support the flood fight and response activities.
At the direction of Gov. John Hoeven, the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES), through the State Emergency Operations Center, is actively engaged with FEMA in all emergency planning, communications, coordination and response in support of towns, tribes and counties affected by flooding.
FEMA is pushing critical resources into North Dakota to assist residents and communities who need help. Commodities available:
- More than 170,000 prepackaged meals
- 30,000 cots,
- 38,000 blankets
- 50,000 hygiene kits
- 250,000 liters of water
- 50 generators of various capacities and five industrial generators to power critical facilities
- FEMA's Mobile Emergency Resource Support (MERS) unit offers a premier communications capability for information processing, logistics and operational support
Other federal agencies are providing key support in the flood fight and to help people and communities.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency for North Dakota. HHS has deployed Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). These teams will provide medical aid to individuals affected by the disaster. Medical aid includes:
- Two federal medical stations with 250 beds each
- The first of five DMAT teams begin arriving Friday evening
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has supplied North Dakota:
- More than 14 million sandbags, 160 pumps, and 2,500 poly rolls
- More than 32,000 linear ft of portable levees and 2,500 linear ft of portable dam
- Three power assessment teams and a generator management team with forklifts and fuel trucks
U.S. Coast Guard assets include:
- A mission assignment for a C-130 to move cargo
- 16 boats, two helicopters, and nine airboats for rescue efforts
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol:
- 50 agents to support local law enforcement
American Red Cross:
- Three Incident Medical Assistance Teams have been deployed to Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks. The American Red Cross in Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks deployed:
- 31 emergency response vehicles
- 12 sheltering teams
- 55,000 meals, 3,200 comfort kits, 3,200 cots and 6,500 blankets
The Salvation Army:
- Providing community feeding in five North Dakota counties and supplying cleanup kits in impacted areas.
The state of North Dakota has tasked many of its state agencies to provide help to its citizens affected by the disaster. Services include:
- North Dakota Health Department is evacuating patients from threatened hospitals, nursing homes, and extended care facilities in Fargo
- North Dakota Highway Patrol is assisting with security and road closures
- More than 1,300 North Dakota National Guardsmen are filling sandbags; patrolling dikes; breaking ice jams; and operating traffic control points
FEMA will continue working with local, state and tribal officials to provide essential services, proactively anticipate the needs, and save lives and protect property of North Dakota residents.
For more information on how you can prepare for all hazards, please visit www.fema.gov and www.ready.gov.
FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
Last Modified: Friday, 27-Mar-2009 18:47:10