Search Crews Cover 103,000 Acres, Retrieve 22,100 Pieces Of Shuttle Material
Release Date: March 6, 2003
Release Number: 3171-47
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Lufkin, TX -- Since mid-February, when the first interagency crews began searching for shuttle materials, an average of 3,000 searchers a day have covered more than 103,000 acres and found about 22,100 pieces of material, recovery officials announced today.
"These crews have endured cold, rain and dense vegetation in their work and have accomplished it with great resolve and fortitude," said Federal Coordinating Officer Scott Wells of the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA). "We are deeply grateful for their contributions."
President Bush designated FEMA to coordinate the federal response to the shuttle material recovery operation
U. S. Forest Service Information Officer Gay Ippolito said, "We've had unusually wet weather for the searchers, and they've shown great dedication and stamina. Search areas are muddy and some are briar-rich with vines and vegetation as tall as the searchers. The crews have endured and continued their mission with determination and resilience."
Following are reports of recovery operation by camps and other operations:
- The Southern Area Incident Command Blue Team, Nacogdoches, put 34 crews of 20 persons each (680) in the field Thursday. Camp complement is about 1,137. Wednesday, 35 crews covered 2,676 acres in Nacogdoches County and retrieved 275 pieces. This team to date has searched 29,554 acres and recovered 12,720 pieces.
- The Martin team, based in Hemphill, put 35 crews of 20 persons each (700) in the field Thursday. Camp complement is about 1,100. On Wednesday, 32 crews covered 2,354 acres in Sabine County and retrieved 43 pieces. This team has searched 28,879 acres to date and retrieved 1,043 pieces.
- The California Interagency Management Team One, Palestine, put 37 crews of 20 persons each (740) in the field Thursday. Camp complement is about 910. On Wednesday, 33 crews covered 2,840 acres in Anderson
and Cherokee counties and retrieved 201 pieces. This team has searched
21,476 acres and retrieved 4,941 pieces to date.
- The Pacific Northwest National Incident Management Team Two, Corsicana, put 50 crews of 20 persons each (1,000) in the field Thursday. Camp complement is about 1,408. On Wednesday, 61 crews searched 2,500 acres in Navarro, Henderson and Anderson counties and retrieved 433 pieces.
This team has searched 25,941 acres and recovered 3,400 pieces to date.
- The Columbia Support Mobilization and Staging Team at the East Texas Regional Airport and Longview Fairgrounds in Longview mobilized 13 crews into the search operations and demobilized seven. An additional four crews arrived Thursday. Crews are mobilized to work for a fixed period of time and rotate out when their time expires. Other crews are brought
in to keep the search crew membership at about 3,000 per day.
- In addition, 32 helicopters and nine fixed-wing aircraft were flying Thursday in the search areas.
- At Toledo Bend Reservoir, seven dive teams and seven search assets - boats and underwater sonar units -- were active Thursday and one dive team was in the water at Lake Nacogdoches. Eight dive teams from the U.S. Navy, City of Houston, City of Galveston, Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are engaged in the operation.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 26-Mar-2003 08:42:51