Weather Improves Search Conditions
Release Date: February 22, 2003
Release Number: 3171-32
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Lufkin, Interagency crews from base camps in Nacogdoches, Hemphill and Palestine are working in much-improved weather conditions this weekend in their search for Columbia shuttle material.
"The crews were delighted to see good weather," said Federal Coordinating Officer Scott Wells of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "They have been working in the field in inclement weather; however, some crews were forced to delay or stop part of the search when approaching lightning created unsafe conditions."
Following are reports on Saturday's 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 on either side of the projected flight path in this corridor. Air search is over a five-mile area on either side of the flight path.
- A piece of material believed to be from the shuttle Columbia has been recovered near Littlefield, Texas, approximately 40 northwest of Lubbock. NASA encourages the public to continue looking for possible shuttle material.
- The Southern Area Incident Command Blue Team, operating from the Nacogdoches base camp, has 37, 20-person teams in the field. In addition, a crew made up of NASA personnel joined the search for the weekend. Approximately 1,000 workers are at the Nacogdoches camp.
- The Martin team, based in Hemphill, has reached 35, 20-person crews.
- The California Interagency Management Team 1, based in Palestine, had 35, 20-person crews in the field Saturday.
- At Corsicana, 16, 20-person crews came in overnight and were training Saturday in preparation for a Sunday search.
- The Longview Airport contingent provided logistical support to crews that came in from Minnesota, Missouri, California, North Carolina and New Mexico and sent them to assigned camps.
- The dive teams at Toledo Bend Reservoir resumed operations Saturday, and sonar scan boats were seeking dive targets on the reservoir and at Lake Nacogdoches. 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 10:10:30