News
Department of Homeland Security Responds to Hurricane Charley
FEMA Public Affairs
Lakeland, FL, Mike Brown, Under-Secretary of Homeland Security speaks to the media at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport as Florida Governor Jeb Bush (right) looks on.
FEMA Photo/Mark Wolfe
With Hurricane Charley's 145 mile-per-hour winds impacting the Florida coast last Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading a massive emergency response and recovery effort to assist those communities in need of emergency assistance as a result of the devastation from the storm.
As part of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to coordinate emergency response activities along with other federal departments and respective state agencies. Prior to Hurricane Charley's arrival, FEMA pre-positioned emergency response teams and disaster relief supplies throughout the southeast region in preparation for anticipated response operations with additional equipment and resources being deployed throughout the weekend from stockpiles nationwide.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and FEMA Director Michael Brown continue to maximize readiness and response efforts as a result of Hurricane Charley and are working in close contact with Florida Governor Jeb Bush and other governors in southeast states that were impacted by this dangerous storm.
FEMA's Mobile Emergency Response Services' communication units from as far away as Denver, Colorado, were mobilized to help provide telephone, radio and video links in support of response and recovery efforts.
In addition to activating and deploying Medical Management Support Teams and Veterinary Medical Teams, FEMA sent six Urban Search and Rescue teams from Florida and Tennessee to find and assist residents as well as check the safety of damaged buildings. Eight Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) comprising of doctors, nurses and medical technicians trained to handle trauma, pediatrics, surgery and mental health concerns are providing emergency care at damaged hospitals in several Florida communities including Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and Wauchula. Each DMAT team also brought truckloads of medical equipment and supplies with it to support medical facilities that are not fully operational.
Sixty semi-trailers containing cots and blankets, emergency meals, portable toilets, personal wash kits, sleeping bags, 6-8 person tents, plastic sheeting and roofing, bottled water and mid-range generators have arrived in central Florida. FEMA also shipped large containers with building materials to assist residents with immediate home repairs.
In cooperation with state officials, FEMA is helping to coordinate the delivery of 14 trucks totaling 560,000 pounds of ice and 20 trucks bringing 94,000 gallons of water to affected Florida communities. Additional water supplies continue to be brought into the state.
FEMA, in coordination with Florida's Office of Emergency Management, is working to identify utility companies outside the affected area to provide mutual aid to Florida power companies in their efforts to restore power as a result of massive power infrastructure damage and outages that could take weeks to repair.
The Department of Homeland Security also lent support to FEMA's efforts by assessing vulnerabilities and potential impact to critical infrastructure located in the storm's projected path. Based upon these assessments, Homeland Security is better prepared to work with private sector partners and state and local government officials during this recovery phase.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is supporting FEMA's response effort with four military bases being used for mobilization and staging sites for response teams and supplies. DoD has also analyzing national aircraft assets from military and civilian agencies to transport additional response and recovery supplies if needed.
FEMA continues to coordinate and support the American Red Cross and the 18 public shelters and 10 special needs shelters still in operation. The American Red Cross is also standing by with mobile kitchens and other response vehicles.
Homeland Security Department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement aircraft, at the request of FEMA and the State of Florida, flew post-storm analysis flights as part of FEMA's Rapid Needs Assessment over the storm's path and collected images for damage assessment. Information developed during the flight was delivered directly to the Florida State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to assist FEMA and better target areas in need of immediate disaster assistance.