Special Report: FEMA Claims Readiness for Hurricane Rita
Jim Kouri, CPP
September 22, 2005
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with other federal agencies, continues to prepare for Hurricane Rita, according to a spokesperson in the DHS press office. In addition, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has designated Rear Admiral Larry Hereth, U.S. Coast Guard, as Principal Federal Official (PFO) for incident management purposes during the response and recovery operations for Hurricane Rita in Texas.
FEMA and federal agencies -- such as the US Coast Guard and the US Department of Defense -- are pre-positioning supplies and materials in the surrounding affected areas and potential landfall areas of the storm. FEMA is urging residents in the Gulf Coast states to continue paying close attention to Hurricane Rita weather reports and to follow the instructions of local officials. The DHS officials state they're overseeing the following:
45 truckloads of water and 45 truckloads ice and 25 truckloads of meals are pre-staging at federal facilities in Texas.
Over 400 medical team personnel and 14 Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces, almost 800 personnel, are pre-staging in Texas.
The state of Florida has released all of FEMA's pre-positioned teams and assets and FEMA is in the process of moving personnel and commodities to Texas.
13 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft in Corpus Christi and Houston are being readied to evacuate and relocate to a staging position to quickly respond once the storm passes.
Additional USCG relief aircrews and aircraft from around the country will begin arriving in staging areas in Texas as early as today. An additional 4 HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters are being pre-staged in San Antonio.
6 major USCG cutters are in the Gulf of Mexico avoiding storm. Cutters will be pre-positioned to follow the storm to provide immediate support for search and rescue, command and control and waterways assessment. USCG cutter Dauntless, based in Galveston, left port yesterday after evacuating family members. Dauntless is in the Gulf of Mexico heading south to avoid the storm to be in a position to follow the storm.
More than 400 additional USCG personnel are surging to support the response and hundreds more are on alert and ready to respond after landfall.
USCG disaster assistance teams and environmental pollution strike teams are assembling in Louisiana to be in a position to move into the affected area once the storm passes. USCG liaison officers have been assigned to state and local emergency operation centers in Texas and Louisiana.
Infrastructure Protection division is assessing the potential consequences to critical infrastructure located in the storm's projected path, along with the requirements to secure and restore these facilities in the storm’s aftermath. Based upon these assessments, DHS will work with private sector partners and state and local government officials during the recovery phase.
Nearly 3,500 National Guardsmen in Texas are on state active duty and the governor has authorized the activation of up to 5,000 of the more than 10,000 National Guardsmen currently available in the state. Approximately 1,352 Texas National Guardsmen serving in Louisiana have returned to Texas in anticipation of the storm.
The Department of Defense assigned 6 heavy-lift helicopters at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and 6 heavy-lift helicopters at Ft. Worth, TX for search and rescue support. DOD is making available 2,000 active duty “security forces” such as military police.
The Transportation Security Administration has sent an additional 150 screeners to Houston to assist in moving people through the airports to evacuate them from the city.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has provided approximately 650 buses to the state of Texas to support preparations for Hurricane Rita.
The Evironmental Protection Agency issued a reformulated gasoline waiver for the Houston/Galveston, Texas area. Conventional gasoline will be available for distribution and sale in this area from September 21 through September 26, 2005
FEMA and federal agencies -- such as the US Coast Guard and the US Department of Defense -- are pre-positioning supplies and materials in the surrounding affected areas and potential landfall areas of the storm. FEMA is urging residents in the Gulf Coast states to continue paying close attention to Hurricane Rita weather reports and to follow the instructions of local officials. The DHS officials state they're overseeing the following:
45 truckloads of water and 45 truckloads ice and 25 truckloads of meals are pre-staging at federal facilities in Texas.
Over 400 medical team personnel and 14 Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces, almost 800 personnel, are pre-staging in Texas.
The state of Florida has released all of FEMA's pre-positioned teams and assets and FEMA is in the process of moving personnel and commodities to Texas.
13 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft in Corpus Christi and Houston are being readied to evacuate and relocate to a staging position to quickly respond once the storm passes.
Additional USCG relief aircrews and aircraft from around the country will begin arriving in staging areas in Texas as early as today. An additional 4 HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters are being pre-staged in San Antonio.
6 major USCG cutters are in the Gulf of Mexico avoiding storm. Cutters will be pre-positioned to follow the storm to provide immediate support for search and rescue, command and control and waterways assessment. USCG cutter Dauntless, based in Galveston, left port yesterday after evacuating family members. Dauntless is in the Gulf of Mexico heading south to avoid the storm to be in a position to follow the storm.
More than 400 additional USCG personnel are surging to support the response and hundreds more are on alert and ready to respond after landfall.
USCG disaster assistance teams and environmental pollution strike teams are assembling in Louisiana to be in a position to move into the affected area once the storm passes. USCG liaison officers have been assigned to state and local emergency operation centers in Texas and Louisiana.
Infrastructure Protection division is assessing the potential consequences to critical infrastructure located in the storm's projected path, along with the requirements to secure and restore these facilities in the storm’s aftermath. Based upon these assessments, DHS will work with private sector partners and state and local government officials during the recovery phase.
Nearly 3,500 National Guardsmen in Texas are on state active duty and the governor has authorized the activation of up to 5,000 of the more than 10,000 National Guardsmen currently available in the state. Approximately 1,352 Texas National Guardsmen serving in Louisiana have returned to Texas in anticipation of the storm.
The Department of Defense assigned 6 heavy-lift helicopters at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and 6 heavy-lift helicopters at Ft. Worth, TX for search and rescue support. DOD is making available 2,000 active duty “security forces” such as military police.
The Transportation Security Administration has sent an additional 150 screeners to Houston to assist in moving people through the airports to evacuate them from the city.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has provided approximately 650 buses to the state of Texas to support preparations for Hurricane Rita.
The Evironmental Protection Agency issued a reformulated gasoline waiver for the Houston/Galveston, Texas area. Conventional gasoline will be available for distribution and sale in this area from September 21 through September 26, 2005
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