FEMA: DOD Hurricane Sandy Response Update

Monday, November 5, 2012

FEMA: DOD Hurricane Sandy Response Update

DOD Provides Hurricane Sandy Response Update

American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2012 - The Department of Defense continues to flow forces, capabilities, and logistical supplies to the New York/New Jersey region in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to Hurricane Sandy, DOD officials said.

A U.S. Navy helicopter transports a pier repair crew to assist in post-Hurricane Sandy repair efforts in Hoboken, N.J., Nov. 3, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Nygaard
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The department continues to focus on the following priorities: unwatering; power generation; and the distribution of fuel to first responder vehicles, emergency vehicles, and to the citizens of New Jersey and New York, officials said.Here's today's update on DOD's response to Hurricane Sandy as of noon EST:

DOD Operations:
-- To date, U.S Transportation Command has delivered 117 power restoration vehicles and 244 technical personnel from March Air Force Base, Calif., and Phoenix, to Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, N.Y. An additional 11 flights are scheduled today from various locations in Washington and Texas to travel to Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, N.Y.
-- Two C-130 aircraft today will deliver FEMA blankets from Little Rock, Ark., to Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport. Twenty-one Transcom aircraft are currently on alert in support of Hurricane Sandy relief operations.
-- The secretary of defense approved FEMA's request for DOD to provide 100 engineering teams with high-capacity pumps and personnel to support FEMA operations.
Yesterday, the secretary of defense approved U.S. Northern Command's requests for the following additional forces: Forward Support Company, N.Y., and Theater Gateway Human Resources/Movement Support Team. Twenty-four hour Prepare to Deploy Order Status: Sustainment Brigade; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, New York Combat Sustainment Support Battalion; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, New York Movement Control Battalion; Transportation Palletized Load System Company, N.Y.; Inland Cargo Transfer Company, N.Y.; Maintenance Company, N.Y.; Signal Company, N.Y; four Movement Control Teams; three Theater Gateway teams, Human Resources/Movement Support.
-- The 172nd Preventive Health team from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the 227th Preventive Health Team from Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 43rd Veterinary Team from Fort Hood, Texas, are expected to arrive at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., today.
-- The 6th Medical Logistics Movement Center from Fort Detrick, Md., is to deploy to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst today.
-- The Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit including the USS Wasp, the USS San Antonio, the USS Carter Hall and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are off Breezy Point and are ready to respond if requested. The ARG/MEU is capable of providing the following support: air support, basic engineering support, commodities distribution support, limited surface mobility support, medical services, and preventive medicine support. Assets include: six SH-60S helicopters, three MH-53E helicopters, six CH-53E helicopters, six UH-1N/Y helicopters and two Landing Craft Utility vessels.
-- The 2nd Marine Logistics Group Detachment is at Fort Hamilton, N.Y., and is prepared to support recovery operations if requested.
-- The Training Ship (TS) Empire State is in New York and in use with 266 first responders being berthed and fed; TS Kennedy is en route and scheduled to arrive tomorrow; Ready Reserve Fleet Vessel SS Wright is en route to arrive today, Nov. 4.
-- The Defense Logistics Agency has approximately 230 trucks with approximately 1.6 million gallons of fuel capacity operating in the affected area. DLA has access to approximately 24 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel.
-- DLA has coordinated with a contractor to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in assessing damage and determining requirements to restore port operations.
Food, Health, and Comfort Items:
-- About 1.5 million meals have been delivered to FEMA facilities in West Virginia -- 750,000 went to Charleston and 750,000 to Martinsburg. Personnel also are providing 500,000 meals to Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y., and 500,000 meals to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst by today.
-- About 1.3 million meals are at vendors and ready for delivery, and 1 million meals are on schedule for New York City by tomorrow.
-- DLA delivered 1,000 cots and 1,000 blankets to Fort Hamilton, N.Y., for the National Guard. Three-thousand cots were delivered to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and 150,000 emergency blankets are being delivered to New York City.
-- Half-a-million meals are set to arrive at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y., today.
-- Half-a-million meals are set to arrive at Lakehurst N.J., today.
-- One million Meals Ready to Eat slated to arrive at Fort Hamilton, N.Y., today.
Fuel:
-- DLA is executing the purchase of 12 million gallons of gasoline and 12 million gallons of diesel. Two-hundred-and-thirty fuel trucks are on contract to support fuel distribution.
-- On Nov. 3, the New York National Guard dispensed 20,954 gallons of fuel at three retail distribution gas stations at armories in the New York boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
-- Approximately 287,000 gallons of motor gas and 170,000 gallons of diesel fuel -- primarily for generators -- were moved into the area Nov. 3. DLA is also filling a 300,000-gallon FEMA order for points of distribution in Egg Harbor, West Orange, and Freehold, N.J.; 200,000 gallons to support three New York/New Jersey airfields, and 80,000 gallons to FEMA in support of Verizon.
-- DLA delivered 30,000 gallons of gasoline and 30,000 gallons of diesel to New York/New Jersey armories in Vineland, West Orange, and Freehold, N.J. DLA has set up fuel points of distribution in Bayonne, and Mille Airpark, N.J., to support FEMA.
-- A DLA vendor has 440,000 gallons of fuel available with 200,000 gallons en route and 100,000 gallons of gasoline on order for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
Pumps:
-- 107 pumps -- 1,500 gallons per minute and up – were delivered to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Nov. 3.
-- Pumps #1 and #2 of the four high-capacity, 68,000 gallons per minute at Craven Point, N.J., are being re-positioned to Joint Base Lakehurst. Pumps #3 and #4 are en route to Lakehurst today.
-- Five submersible pumps moved in support of Navy salvage.
Generators:
-- 51 Generators rated between 500-2,000 kilowatt-hour capacity are at or in transit to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
-- The Corps of Engineer has more than 400 personnel supporting Hurricane Sandy response operations. Priority missions include: unwatering, temporary emergency power, restoration of ports, and debris cleanup. The Corps of Engineers has deployed two senior leaders to oversee relief operations in New York and New Jersey. Yesterday, Army Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, the Chief of Engineers, toured the Hoboken Ferry Terminal along with Mayor Dawn Zimmer and FEMA officials in New Jersey. Bostick is expected to meet with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today.
Task Force Ports:
-- Hoboken Terminal. Power is on via the terminal's backup generator at the ferry passenger terminal and can support 4,000-7,000 passengers per day. Fuel supply is being monitored, approximately 2-3 days of supply on hand with a fuel source identified. The Corps of Engineers is working on three courses of action to increase the passenger capacity to 20,000 per day. The Corps is moving two large generators to the site to support operations, one to back up the terminal's backup generator and the second to supply power to the New Jersey Transit rail operation. Both generators are expected to be on site by Nov. 5.
-- Liberty State Park Ferry, N.J. The Corps of Engineers has been asked to assess the port for suitable docking facilities to support Hoboken Ferry operations.
-- International Tank Terminal, N.J. Assessment is complete. The Corps of Engineers has prepared a generator package currently staged at Fort Belvoir, Va., awaiting orders to move.
Task Force Unwatering:
-- The 53rd Street Tunnel and Rockaway Waste Water Treatment Plant: completed by New York City authorities.
-- Currently pumping at: South Ferry Station; Battery Exchange Tunnel; Passaic Valley Waste Water Treatment Plant; World Trade Center; Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, and Montague Tunnel.
-- Mobilization in progress: Queens Midtown Tunnel; PATH Train (Jersey City-World Trade Center); and 14th Street Tunnel.
-- The Corps of Engineers has 91 additional pumps with varying capacities staged or available via contractor staged and ready for deployment as needed.
Task Force Power:
-- The Corps of Engineers is continuing to support emergency power restoration efforts.
-- Received 68 validated requests and installed 64 generators with an additional 15-40 more deployments projected in the next 24 hours.
-- 335 generators are staged at forward locations.
-- Expecting generator support mission assignments to support polling locations.
-- Assumed responsibility for management of a New York generator yard, (200 generators at Citi Field) and 45 generators at the Incident Support Bases.
-- The Corps of Engineers has begun planning for generator redeployments in anticipation of power being restored at current deployment sites.
Task Force Debris:
-- The Corps of Engineers has stood up a task force to begin processing debris removal mission assignments. There are team leaders at four locations in New York and New Jersey with 16 personnel assigned. This total is expected to increase to 80 in the next 24-48 hours.
National Guard Operations:
-- The National Guard continues significant response and recovery efforts. National Guard leadership has been assured at state level that state police in New York and New Jersey will provide all security at retail fuel distribution points.
-- More than 7,600 National Guard personnel are assisting in response and recovery efforts across the region affected by Sandy.
New York National Guard: More than 3,500 Guard personnel and 604 vehicles are supporting relief efforts. The New York National Guard is conducting high-water evacuations and transportation out of the five New York City boroughs and continues supporting power restoration, traffic control, debris removal, wellness checks, and food/water distribution. They are the designated water and petroleum distribution for all supported state agencies. They have five military police companies conducting presence patrols, traffic control points, and augmentation of local law enforcement agencies. The New York National Guard is providing communications support to the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management.
-- More than 800 National Guard members and more than 200 vehicles are expected to arrive at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y., no later than Nov. 5.
New Jersey National Guard: There are 2,029 National Guard personnel on duty, assisting New Jersey State Police and fire department members with rescues, security, and evacuations. The New Jersey Guard members are conducting debris clearance and removal, high water vehicle operations, shelter support, food and water distribution, and power generation. The New Jersey National Guard is conducting aerial support missions including FEMA damage assessments. Five New Jersey armories were identified by FEMA as fuel distribution sites; the state of New Jersey has requested that only West Orange and Freehold be used for operations.
-- Ten heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks are set to arrive from Pennsylvania, with 40-50 personnel that will be integrated into the overall refueling effort. They also requested a Joint Incident Site Communication Capability from the Pennsylvania National Guard to enhance their interoperability in communicating with civilian first responders.
Delaware National Guard: 120 personnel are moving to New York today to assist with recovery efforts.
Connecticut National Guard: 634 National Guard personnel on duty. Connecticut National Guard personnel are conducting route clearance, high wheel transport, aviation, power generation, and security missions as part of recovery efforts.
West Virginia National Guard: 607 National Guard personnel are conducting community assessments, medical evacuation, and debris removal. West Virginia National Guard aviation is conducting route reconnaissance in isolated, snowbound areas of the state.

CFN - California Fire News 2012

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How fires get their names

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CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Monday, November 5, 2012