Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—November 9, 2012. The Department of Defense (DoD) is a fully integrated partner in the federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Sandy and the northeaster that swept through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States. DoD still maintains significant capacity in the region to provide emergency temporary power and pumping capability and to distribute fuel, food, cold-weather clothing, and other comfort items as requested by civil authorities.
Here are today’s significant updates on DoD’s response to Hurricane Sandy over the past 24 hours (as of 11 a.m. EST):
DoD Operations
- U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) has nearly 4,000 personnel supporting Hurricane Sandy relief operations in the affected area.
- Air Force teams completed unwatering operations at Rockaway Waste Water Treatment facility, and East School in Long Beach, N.Y., and provided teams to support fire departments conducting unwatering operations in Breezy Point, N.Y.
- Army divers repaired the pier system at Caven Point, N.J. Additionally, divers continue to assist the New York City Fire Department unwater PATH Tunnel at the World Trade Center and unwater the Long Beach High School and Recreation Center, N.Y.
- Marines continued assessments with Army engineers in Far Rockaway, N.Y., and pumped 90,000 gallons of water from apartment buildings there. Approximately 750,000 gallons were pumped from affected homes and parks in Breezy Point, N.Y.
- Navy dive detachments continue to support the World Trade Center site and Marine pump teams are assisting pumping operations at Breezy Point.
- Helicopters from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are transporting and re-locating generators in the area at Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) direction. Navy Seabees and Marine personnel restored the beach at Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook; and supporting debris clearance operations at locations in Bayonne, N.J. and the Battery, N.Y.
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
- DLA has delivered more than 1.8 million gallons of fuel to FEMA distribution points in the New York/New Jersey region. DLA delivered nine generators to the Army Corps of Engineers to power apartment buildings in New York City. Seven more generators and seven transformers are en route. They also provided seven additional generators to the New York City Housing Authority.
- DLA has contracts in place to support waste water clean-up, hazardous material removal, and debris removal operations. DLA has also awarded two contracts for 330 roll-off dumpsters and 34 trucks for overland trash hauling. 2.5 million pounds of debris have been removed in the last 48 hours.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- USACE has more than 500 generators now staged at forward locations.
- USACE has received a total of 570 power generation and restoration taskings. 545 assessments have been completed with three in progress and 22 not yet started.
National Guard Operations
- There are 6,618 National Guard personnel from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and West Virginia are assisting in response and recovery efforts across their affected states.
- The following states are supporting the response efforts through Emergency Management Agreement Compacts: Florida, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
- 47 Chaplains and Chaplains’ assistants are providing trauma intervention/ counseling, shelters visitations, worship services and other support.
- New York National Guard (NYNG): There are 3,237 NYNG personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New York. NYNG personnel members have distributed 1,439,654 meals from 21 points of distribution sites since Nov 1. 50 NYNG personnel are supporting Red Cross shelters at six sites in sites in Nassau County. NYNG personnel are also sorting and distributing donated goods from the Javits Center and delivering them to three points of distribution sites.
- New Jersey National Guard (NJNG): There are 1,957 NJNG personnel on state active duty supporting relief operations in New Jersey. The NJNG distributed 12,590 blankets, 1,740 cots and 3,648 towels since Nov. 1. They also distributed 93,229 gallons (since Nov. 2), of fuel to emergency responders from four distribution points in support of FEMA and DLA. The NJNG are providing tents and mobile kitchen trailers to shelter and feed emergency management personnel. The NJNG continues to assist civil authorities at state-run shelters with transportation, meals, water, and power generation in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, the Jersey City Armory, Glen Gardner, and Ocean County.
- The West Virginia National Guard has 364 personnel on state active duty conducting community assessments, medical evacuation, snow and debris removal, and food, water, and generator distribution.
Source: defense.gov
