FEMA Updates Search, Find And Secure Activities For Columbia Emergency [4:00 p.m. Release]
Release Date: February 4, 2003
Release Number: HQ-03-035
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Washington, DC -- Deputy Director Michael Brown of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced progress in the continued search, find, and secure activities in response to the loss of the space shuttle Columbia.
"FEMA and our partner agencies at the federal, state, and local levels are making progress in our work to search, find, and secure Columbia debris," Brown said. "Our teams are on the ground and in the field working to protect the public and minimize the impact on local communities."
Brown also announced the following new information:
- U.S. Coast Guard strike team is out on a 24-foot USCG boat in the Toledo Bend Reservoir near the town of Hemphill, Texas in Sabine County today. The team is taking side-scan sonar and divers.
- FEMA photographers are capturing still photographs of the search effort and have posted them at www.fema.gov. (They are available for use in accordance with the FEMA photo use agreement and will be updated regularly.)
Additionally, FEMA has coordinated the following activities since the emergency was declared:
- The State of Texas Emergency Operations Center has identified 38 counties with debris.
- In Texas, all debris at the 17 confirmed debris locations near schools has been collected and the sites have been cleared. All schools in the State of Texas are open today.
- The State of Louisiana Emergency Operations Center has identified 36 confirmed debris sites, 22 of which are cleared of all debris.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has collected 118 bags of non-hazardous debris from 74 locations in Texas.
- EPA and NASA are currently working to verify reported debris sites in California, Arizona, and Nevada.
- A Joint Information Center has been established at the Lufkin Civic Center in Lufkin, Texas, to coordinate public information for the agencies involved in the response effort.
- The FBI, EPA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the General Services Administration have assigned liaisons to FEMA's Regional Operations Center in Denton, Texas. FEMA has assigned state liaisons to the Texas State Emergency Operations Center in Austin, Texas and the State Command Post in Lufkin.
- Disaster Field Offices (DFO) have been established in Lufkin, the Fort Worth Naval Air Station in Texas, and the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The Lufkin DFO will serve as the primary operational DFO for all operations, including staging assets and deploying field teams for search, find and secure operations. Barksdale Air Force Base will serve as the investigative center and storage location.
- Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) communications equipment has been deployed to Lufkin.
- The EPA currently has 38 Debris Recovery Teams on the ground in Texas and Louisiana, and plans to deploy an additional 80 teams by the end of this week.
- The U.S. Coast Guard has deployed 36 members of its strike teams to Louisiana and Texas to assist with debris recovery operations. The strike teams are specially trained and equipped to respond to incidents involving oil or hazardous chemical spills.
- A FEMA emergency response management team is in place at Lufkin.
- Water samples in Louisiana are being collected and analyzed by the EPA's Region VI to ensure water purity.
- In Louisiana, the Louisiana State Police, the FBI and National Guard Civil Support Teams (CST) are assisting with debris collection.
- The FBI has deployed 100 members of its Evidence Recovery Team (ERT) to work with search teams dispatched to sites where debris is reported. The ERT members will ensure collection activities are consistent at every debris site.
- The Texas National Guard has provided 438 members to help expedite the retrieval of debris.
- The EPA has mobilized Airborne Spectral Photo-Imaging of Environmental Collection Technology (ASPECT) aircraft to help locate debris using infrared sensors to detect hazardous chemicals and deployed the Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer Unit to provide mobile analytical support.
Last Modified: Friday, 11-Apr-2003 13:37:18