U.S. Northern Command continues Hurricane Rita support

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PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFPN) --  U.S. Northern Command continues its support to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of Hurricane Rita.

USNORTHCOM’s joint operations center continues 24-hour operations in Colorado Springs, Colo., to monitor the relief effort. In response to Hurricane Rita, the military has provided aeromedical evacuation for about 3,000, people, including approximately 1,500 patients affected by the storm.

As directed by the secretary of defense, and in accordance with the national response plan, USNORTHCOM’s military assistance to support the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA includes:

-- More than 50 Department of Defense helicopters and three DOD airplanes are available for damage assessment, search and rescue, movement of critical supplies and medical evacuation. Civil Air Patrol missions have flown approximately 40 missions, about half of the Air Force total, as of Sept. 25. The CAP missions provide aerial damage assessment, transport officials and supplies, and conduct search-and-rescue operations.

-- Two Landing Craft Units and one Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat from the USS Tortuga that are conducting search-and-rescue operations in southwest Louisiana.

-- Elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, the Marine Corps’ 4th Anti-Terrorism Battalion, and the Army’s 35th Infantry Division that are conducting search-and-rescue operations in southwest Louisiana.

-- The positioning of 1,953,000 prepackaged meals, 6,066,000 liters of water, 11,800,000 pounds of ice; 12 truckloads of tarps, and 41 generators. Forty-four generators have been distributed. Approximately 475 servicemembers are prepared to deploy as necessary to 25 FEMA sites to help distribute food, water, ice and tarps.

-- Air traffic control crews.

-- Mosquito abatement teams on standby to provide support as necessary.

-- Communications teams to ensure communication with areas affected most. The teams can provide connectivity between Joint Task Force-Rita first responders and other agencies.

-- Two mobile deployable communications packages to help restore communications and enhance response to disaster relief operations.

DOD assets are employed in support of a primary federal agency -- in this case FEMA -- when local and state assets are overwhelmed or exhausted, and when DOD assistance is requested and subsequently approved by the secretary of defense. The impact of providing such assistance will not adversely affect military preparedness.

DOD support is provided on a reimbursable basis in accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Act.

In addition to Hurricane Rita, USNORTHCOM is monitoring other tropical weather patterns and continues assisting with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.