Global & Disaster Medicine

Hurricane Maria: Federal Response Timeline

October 9th, 2017

Sunday, September 17 – Pre-Landfall • FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) remains fully activated with all emergency support functions operational, including Department of Defense (DoD) liaisons. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• FEMA has a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) and Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) co-located with the Governor on St. Croix, as well as liaisons on St. John and St. Thomas that will remain in place throughout the storm’s potential landfall.• FEMA has an FCO and Incident Management Assistance Team co-located with key staff from the Caribbean Area Division at the FEMA Distribution Center in Puerto Rico, who will remain in place throughout the storm’s potential landfall.• DoD Civil Authority Information Support Element (CAISE) assisting with communication and outreach support to communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands.• The U.S. Army Area Support Medical Company and the U.S. Air Force Ground Surgical Team operating in St. Thomas are sheltering aboard the amphibious ship USS Kearsarge and will return to U.S. Virgin Islands after Hurricane Maria passes.• The Department of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is working on the relocation and protection of the mobile air traffic control tower at St. Thomas airport ahead of the storm. • The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is prepositioning assets in Puerto Rico, including storm surge and rapid deployment gauges, to support water-level measurements and flood forecasting.• FEMA temporarily repositions the remainder of the federal employees in the U.S. Virgin Islands in order to resume operations as quickly as possible, while also freeing shelter resources for island residents. • DoD, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), personnel deployed to support Hurricane Irma response efforts will ride out the storm on the USS Kearsarge just off the coast of the islands. They will be ready to continue existing operations as soon as the storm passes.Monday, September 18 – Pre-Landfall• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• President Donald J. Trump issues federal emergency declarations for the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in advance of Hurricane Maria’s landfall.• FEMA and federal personnel remain co-located with the Governor on St. Croix, as well as liaisons on St. John and St. Thomas that will remain in place. FEMA and federal personnel also remain in place and in close coordination with the Governor of Puerto Rico. • Two Type 1 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams, two canine teams, one logistics package, and one Type 4 US&R team in Puerto Rico.• FEMA’s efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands include an increased push of commodities over the last several days to Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) points of distribution to ensure residents have extra food, water, and supplies ahead of the storm. • U.S. Virgin Islands has six open shelters, with additional shelters scheduled to open prior to the storm’s potential landfall.Tuesday, September 19 – Storm Approaches Landfall in U.S. Virgin Islands• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• FEMA and federal personnel remain co-located with the Governor on St. Croix, as well as liaisons on St. John and St. Thomas that will remain in place. FEMA and federal personnel also remain in place and in close coordination with the Governor of Puerto Rico. • One Type 4 FEMA US&R team and one canine team to arrive in Puerto Rico.• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) deploys one Disaster Medical Assistance Team to Puerto Rico.Wednesday, September 20 – Storm Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• President Donald J. Trump issues major disaster declarations for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.• FEMA and federal personnel remain co-located with the Governor on St. Croix, as well as liaisons on St. John and St. Thomas that will remain in place. FEMA and federal personnel also remain in place and in close coordination with the Governor of Puerto Rico. • HHS activates National Disaster Medical System Definitive Care Reimbursement Program, which reimburses medical facilities and hospitals for the medical care costs of patients medically evacuated following disasters.• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is coordinating airlift and deployment of four Quick Response Teams to San Juan post landfall to conduct forecasted security measures.Thursday, September 21 – Post-Landfall• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• There are more than 3,500 federal staff on the ground in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands supporting response and recovery operations from Hurricanes Maria and Irma.• Two FEMA US&R task forces and support resources are in Puerto Rico conducting reconnaissance and search and rescue. An additional team is on St. Croix conducting search and rescue and reconnaissance. • Commodities in FEMA’s Puerto Rico Distribution Center include more than 274,000 meals, 25 generators, and more than 500 cots. • USACE completes a Blue Roof install on Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas. Additionally, USACE has 27 generators on hand in St. Thomas with additional commodities to be delivered when conditions permit.• HHS declares a public health emergency in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Four additional DMATs will arrive in Puerto Rico on September 22.• Vessels are loaded for U.S. Virgin Islands with 1.3million meals, 2 million liters water, 30 generators, 6,000 cots.• There are six U.S. Navy helicopters stationed and three Marine Osprey aircraft in the Caribbean.• More than 700 National Guard are mobilized to Puerto Rico and more than 900 National Guard are mobilized to the U.S. Virgin Islands.• Western Area Power Administration, in coordination with Department of Energy, deploys an eight-member advance team in Puerto Rico.• Department of Interior Office of Law Enforcement has 50 personnel in Puerto Rico.• Air support (MH-60s) and other assets from the amphibious ships USS Kearsage and USS Oak Hill begin performing search and rescue flights and aerial damage assessments over U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and assist with restoration of damaged airfields.Friday, September 22• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• There are more than 7,000 federal staff, including 280 FEMA staff, on the ground in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands supporting response and recovery operations from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. • Four FEMA US&R teams and support resources are in Puerto Rico, and one US&R team is in U.S. Virgin Islands conducting reconnaissance and search and rescue. These task forces assist in the rescue of 65 individuals, searching 45 buildings. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting search and rescue operations in St. Croix, and in the surrounding waters. • National Guard Bureau (NGB) has 1,600 service members in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.• Vessels loaded with commodities are arriving or awaiting port opening and clearance with an air bridge to deliver commodities to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. • More than 70 Federal Law Enforcement Officers are in San Juan supporting search and rescue and medical teams. Three ATF Quick Response Teams (QRT) are arriving to join the four QRTs operating in San Juan.• USACE and other supporting agencies have completed several temporary power installs on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and completed nearly 100 inspections. Additional generator support is en route. USACE has 120 responders in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.• The General Services Administration (GSA) is assessing 80 leased/owned properties.• USS Kearsarge/26th Expeditionary Unit Amphibious Ready Group (MEU ARG) aircraft including helicopters and MV-22s, continue damage assessments over the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and complete patient evacuation movements from St. Croix to nearby facilities.Saturday, September 23• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• The Department of Transportation announces three airports are open for military and relief flights in Puerto Rico and two airports open for military and relief flights in the U.S. Virgin Islands. One port is open with restrictions in Puerto Rico and five ports are open with restrictions in the U.S. Virgin Islands.• Support for federal response continues from the amphibious ships USS Kearsage and USS Oak Hill including search and rescue flights, aerial damage assessments, logistics support and route clearance for U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.• There are six commercial barges transporting meals, water, generators, cots and other commodities to Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. • The SS Wright is carrying 1.1 million meals and one million liters of water to the islands.• The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is transporting 124,000 gallons of diesel fuel to Puerto Rico, with arrival anticipated in the coming days. • There are 180 American Red Cross volunteers and staff in the Caribbean.Sunday, September 24• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• Federal partners establish a fuel distribution site in San Juan for federal and local entities to support first responder and critical facility needs. • The port of San Juan re-opened for daylight operations and other ports are undergoing assessments. On St. Thomas, the ports of Crown Bay, Cruz Bay, East Gregerie Channel, Red Hook, and West Gregerie Channel are open with restrictions while other ports are being assessed. On St. Croix, the ports of Krause Lagoon and Limetree Bay are open with restrictions while other ports are being assessed. • The Department of Energy is coordinating with industry on mutual aid for Puerto Rico, and transported crews from New York Power Authority to support damage assessments. • Eight FEMA US&R task forces are stationed in the Caribbean.• At the federal staging area in St. Croix, there are more than 43,000 liters of water and more than 20,000 meals available for distribution by territory officials.• USACE and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continue to survey damaged channels and ports in Puerto Rico.• DoD CAISE re-inserted into the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with communication and outreach support and DoD Area Support Medical Company re-inserted to U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with medical support needs.• DoD assets from amphibious ships USS Kearsage and USS Oak Hill continue support for search and rescue flights, medical evacuation, aerial damage assessments, logistics support, port surveys and route clearance for U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.Monday, September 25• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• There are more than 10,000 federal staff, including more than 700 FEMA personnel, on the ground in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands supporting response and recovery operations from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. • Nine FEMA US&R task forces are stationed and conducting operations in the Caribbean. FEMA US&R task forces saved or assisted 516 individuals. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting search and rescue operations in St. Croix, and in the surrounding waters. • Officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico establish points of distribution for survivors to get meals, water, and other commodities. The National Guard supports commodity distribution. • Power is restored to Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan and San Pablo Hospital in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. • Fuel arrives for several hospitals in Puerto Rico running on generators: Ashford Presbyterian, Pavia Santurce, Pavia Hato Rey, San Francisco, and Clinica Metro Pavia. The Schneider Regional Medical Center mobile hospital in St. Thomas was re-established.• DLA, U.S. Northern Command, the U.S. Navy, and USCG, in coordination with the private sector, provide federal support for fuel transportation via air and sea logistical support. • FEMA, working in coordination with federal partners, provide more than 1.5 million meals, 1.1 million liters of water to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria’s landfall.• HHS and DoD conduct medical evacuations for more than 100 patients from the islands to the continental United States. Medical evacuations from the islands will continue. Additionally HHS medical teams are on the ground in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. • NGB has more than 4,300 Guard members on the ground in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands taking part in security and support operations. The Air National Guard is focused on transporting food, water, and communications capabilities as well as rapidly increasing airlift into affected areas.• A Coast Guard mobile communications convoy is en route to Puerto Rico to help improve communications across the storm-impacted area. Coast Guard personnel continue to deliver critical FEMA relief supplies to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.• DoD assets from the USS Kearsage and USS Oak Hill continue support for response efforts including search and rescue flights, medical evacuation, aerial damage assessments, logistics support, commodity lifts, port surveys, and hospital assessments with HHS for U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.Tuesday, September 26• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• FEMA is delivering food and water to points of distribution and regional staging areas in Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. • American Red Cross (ARC) mobilizes to Puerto Rico 9,000 comfort kits and several thousand of tarps, flashlights, batteries, blankets, and hand sanitizer. To U.S. Virgin Islands, ARC will also send tens of thousands of bags of rice and beans with cots, blankets, comfort kits, tarps, trash bags, sponges, hand sanitizer, and insect repellent.• Corporation for National and Community Service deploys two AmeriCorps to Puerto Rico and four Disaster response teams for Save the Children support.• Ten FEMA US&R task forces are stationed and conducting operations in Puerto Rico. FEMA US&R task forces have saved or assisted 557 individuals and five pets, while searching over 2,600 structures.• There are currently 32 points of distribution for commodities in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.• More than 180 Federal Law Enforcement Officers are in San Juan and the U.S. Virgin Islands supporting search and rescue, medical teams, and other federal responders. • In support of Hurricane Maria relief and reconstitution operations, the U.S. Government established temporary air traffic flow management procedures for flights into San Juan International Airport in Puerto Rico. Roosevelt Roads and Aguadilla Airports in Puerto Rico are open for military and relief flights during daylight.• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations personnel are onsite in St. Thomas to evaluate, fix, and install FAA equipment, in support of air traffic control operations.• USCG identifies eight ports with some restrictions in Puerto Rico, and nine open in U.S. Virgin Islands with restrictions. USCG reports the ports of Guayanilla, Salinas, and Tallaboa are fully open, and the ports of San Juan, Fajardo, Culebra, Guayama, and Vieques are open with restrictions in Puerto Rico. The ports of Crown Bay, Charlotte Amalie, East Gregerie Channel, West Gregerie Channel, and Redhook Bay on St. Thomas, the ports of Krause Lagoon, Limetree Bay, and Frederiksted on St. Croix, and the port of Cruz Bay on St. John are open with restrictions. Other ports are undergoing assessments.• 14 DoD flights arrived September 25 to deliver water and meals, helicopters, communications equipment, additional security forces, and communications and contingency response units for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.• USACE coordinates transportation of more than 300 FEMA or DLA generators from across the U.S. to meet anticipated requirements in the islands. In Puerto Rico, the team completes 27 of 32 requested temporary power assessments of critical facilities. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, USACE completed 90 of 131 requested temporary power assessments of critical facilities and began generator installations.• DoD assets from the USS Kearsage and USS Oak Hill continue support for response efforts including logistics support, route clearance, port restoration, and hospital assessments with HHS for U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.Wednesday, September 27• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• DoD expands its response, and sustainment forces to augment those already on the ground to support the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and FEMA. • FEMA and its federal partners continue 24-hour operations to reach inaccessible areas of Puerto Rico to reach survivors, provide fuel to hospitals, and re-open. • FEMA US&R task forces have saved or assisted 841 individuals and five pets, while searching over 2,600 structures. FEMA US&R is also conducting operational assessments of hospitals in Puerto Rico.• U.S. Customs and Border Protection has ten members providing security to two FEMA ships. • DoD CAISE is assist with communication and outreach support to communities in Puerto Rico.• Half of the dialysis centers in Puerto Rico are open and accessible for patients. • USACE is conducting assessments and planning for power grid restoration in Puerto Rico, and addressing the 1.4 million cubic yards of debris across the U.S. Virgin Islands. • In Puerto Rico, fuel is delivered to 19 hospitals for power generators. Fuel continues to be delivered to hospitals and other locations around Puerto Rico.• The U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority drinking water system is back online, and other drinking water systems on the islands are top priority for receiving generators.• 17 chainsaw teams (34 individuals) and one Incident Management Team (IMT) (23 individuals) from the Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service arrive in Puerto Rico to conduct emergency road clearance and manage logistics.• To bolster the delivery of fuel throughout Puerto Rico, 100 delivery trucks were dispatched by the DLA.Thursday, September 28• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• FAA reports Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) accommodated 25 commercial flights and processed 5,000 ticketed passengers.• Two generators are installed at Concordia Fresh Water Pump Station and the Herbert Grigg Shelter.• Recovery efforts are now supporting more than a dozen commercial passenger flights per day at SJU in San Juan, Puerto Rico.• The Concordia potable water pump station is online in St. Croix.• FEMA search and rescue teams have accessed 90 percent of Puerto Rico, conducting search and rescue operations and helping to assess hospitals. • All municipalities in Puerto Rico have been reached by FEMA US&R, the Department of Health and Human Services, Commonwealth officials, and/or the National Guard.• Additional National Disaster Medical System staff arrive to support hospital assessments and medical needs of those in Puerto Rico. Friday, September 29• FEMA’s NRCC is fully activated with all emergency support functions operational. FEMA holds daily video-teleconference with leadership across various departments and agencies.• There are more than 10,000 federal staff representing 36 departments and agencies, including more than 800 FEMA personnel on the ground in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands engaged in response and recovery operations from hurricanes Maria and Irma. • The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) made $40 million available to the PR Highways and Transportation Authority (PHRTA) for emergency relief work to impacted roads.• In Puerto Rico, 56 of 68 hospitals are partially operational, and one hospital is fully operational. • FAA reports SJU begins international commercial service with two flights. • The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has limited handout mail service available today at 49 locations in Puerto Rico, which represents 43 percent of all post offices on the island. 41 of these locations are also able to provide postal retail services. Limited handout mail service, along with limited retail service, begins today in St. Croix. Limited mail service continues in St. Thomas. On St. John, limited mail service continues with no retail services available.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 9th, 2017 at 4:53 pm and is filed under FEMA, Tropical cyclones, Tropical storms .
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