Landowners Advised As Search Intensifies
Release Date: February 21, 2003
Release Number: 3171-31
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Lufkin, TX -- Shuttle debris recovery operations are nearing peak staffing. Crews will be searching affected areas that include parts of Ellis, Navarro, Cherokee, Nacogdoches, St. Augustine, Henderson, Anderson and Sabine counties during the next few weeks.
"By next Monday," said Federal Coordinating Officer Scott Wells of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), "up to 4,000 personnel will be spreading out through the primary search area. Teams are attempting to notify all affected landowners in advance of the search.
"We are under a very tight deadline because of approaching vegetation growth and crews are pushing hard to cover their assigned areas. We appreciate the publics cooperation on this very important recovery operation," Wells said.
Wells also announced that adverse weather Friday affected some search operations. Following are reports on Fridays activities:
- The primary search area remains a 10-mile by 240-mile corridor along the shuttle flight path from Ellis County to Toledo Bend Reservoir. Ground search concentrates on a one-mile area, and air search five miles, on either side of the projected flight path in this corridor.
- The Southern Area Incident Command Blue Team, operating from the Nacogdoches base camp, had 34, 20-man teams searching in two main areas. Personnel at this camp have reached 1,015.
- The Martin team, based in Hemphill, was affected by adverse weather. Muddy roads were impassable. The team used the day to conduct further training. Personnel at this camp have reached more than 750.
- The California Interagency Management Team 1, based in Palestine, also experienced adverse weather conditions, stayed in camp and used the day for further training. The base camp complement has reached more than 750.
- The advance element at the Corsicana area base camp continued preparing for search teams to arrive. The search teams are due in over the weekend.
- The Longview Airport contingent continued to provide logistical support to the base camps.
- The dive teams at Toledo Bend Reservoir stopped operations on Friday because of adverse weather, but intended to put boats on the water at the reservoir and Lake Nacogdoches to continue sonar scans of those waters. U.S. Navy, City of Houston, City of Galveston, Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency dive teams are engaged in the operation.
Last Modified: Monday, 14-Apr-2003 10:07:51