It’s already been a week since Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast…we have never seen devastation of this scope in the Northeast.  Our hearts go out to the residents, including our Corps team members, whose lives and properties have been affected. 

SACE has more than 3000 employees from the North Atlantic Division with an additional 650 people deployed from other USACE divisions across the Nation engaged to support the response mission.Currently, USACE has more than 38 FEMA Mission Assignments exceeding a total of $134 million. 

Through FEMA’s National Response Framework, we are a part of the larger team effort that extends through all levels of governments – local, state, and federal, as well as non-governmental partners and volunteers.  The team is committed to bringing all available resources to quickly support those affected and to reduce the long-term impacts from this devastating storm. 

Over this past week, I’ve gone to New York and New Jersey to see first-hand the devastation there and meet with our amazing teams working on the ground.  They are doing an incredible job! 

USACE priorities continue to be temporary emergency power, de-watering at requested locations, debris removal and disaster recovery missions, and conducting post-storm site assessments.

• We’re providing temporary power in multiple states with nearly 80 generator installations, and the requests continue to come in.  We have more than 300 generators staged at forward locations for these missions and have completed some 355 power assessments. 
• We’re dewatering 14 critical locations in New York and New Jersey, as determined by local officials.  Between USACE and the local teams, we’ve completed pumping at seven locations.
• We’ve deployed two USACE Infrastructure Assessment teams from Seattle and Buffalo Districts to begin their work.
• Our debris teams are in ports, waterways and coastal areas in New Jersey and New York clearing debris along the Atlantic seaboard and getting commercial ports reopened.  Within the next 48 hours we will have 35 debris teams on the ground. 
• Other Planning Response Teams are also assisting with debris management, commodities distribution, infrastructure assessment, temporary roofing, critical public facilities, water planning, and temporary housing. 
• And, with the threat of more severe weather forecasted later this week, we’re also focused on repairing breaches and significant damage to coastal and shore protection projects in the area. 

As we transition from response to recovery, I am confident that the Soldiers and Civilians of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to support the federal government’s response efforts in the Northeast as long as we are needed.  I am very proud to lead an extraordinary team of professionals dedicated to serving the Nation and their fellow citizens. 

Essayons…Building Strong…Army Strong!

  Thomas P. Bostick

Lieutenant General, US Army

Commanding

USACE Commanding General LTG Thomas P. Bostick inspects flooded infrastructure in New Jersey. (USACE Photo by Mary Markos)

Posted bynallen inEmergency Response