USNORTHCOM Hurricane Sandy Response Support - Nov. 3

NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs
Nov. 3 2012

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- DoD support to Hurricane Sandy response efforts:

As of Nov. 3, 2012, there are 23 total mission assignments, including nine mission assignments that are mission complete.

• There are 4 active mission-related Mission Assignments
  • 1 active mission assignment for de-watering pump support – deploy/stage 100 high-volume pumps
  • 1 active mission assignment for strategic lift support – power trucks and pax (passengers) from March AFB, Travis AFB, Phoenix AZ and Washington
  • 2 active mission assignments for Helo/Search and Rescue support – 4 SAR/4 Medical Lift Helicopters for passenger movement/damage assessment
• There are 9 active mission assignments for Defense Coordinating Officers/Defense Coordinating Elements planner support
• There is 1 active mission assignment for rotary lift to transport the FEMA personnel in Region II
• There are 3 active MAs for Incident Support Base/Federal Team Staging Facilities.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command units are conducting an assessment at the Hoboken Ferry Terminal to determine the feasibility of increasing existing capabilities.

The Defense Logistics Agency has been delivering meals, fuel and disaster blankets. Today 1.5 million meals were delivered to West Virginia; 40,000 gallons of fuel were delivered to five Verizon sites in New Jersey and New York in order to assist in the effort to restore phone lines; and 150,000 disaster blankets are being delivered to New York City today through Monday, November 5.

All DoD installations have been directed to offer support to local community requests for assistance, to include providing staging and bed-down for utility recovery teams assigned to restore power. “The welcome mat is out at our bases. We are standing by and ready to support utility crews with staging areas, logistical assistance, or anything else they need to help restore power quickly,” said U.S. Army General Charles H. Jacoby Jr., Commander of NORAD and U.S Northern Command.

U.S. Transportation Command, via Air Mobility Command provided C-5s and C-17s heavy airlift aircraft support to move 61 power restoration vehicles, associated equipment, non-medical personnel and cargo from Travis and March Air Force Bases, Cal., to Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York. U.S. Transportation Command also transported 63 utility vehicles and 132 passengers from Phoenix, Arizona to Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York.

Additionally, Air Mobility Command moved 120 people into the New York City area that are a part of the Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Medical Assistance Teams. As part of that movement, the 305th Air Mobility Wing from McGuire Air Force, N.J., moved approximately 50 passengers on a C-17 from Columbus, Ohio, and the 436th Airlift Wing from Dover Air Force Base, Del., moved approximately 70 passengers from Dallas-Fort Worth, also on a C-17 to John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Another 15 power restoration vehicles, 1 helicopter and 32 operators were flown from McChord Air Force Base in Washington to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.

DOD has provided 100 high-volume water pumps (350 gallons per minute and greater) with qualified teams to support the operation and maintenance of the equipment. Equipment is staged at FEMA mobilization centers in the state of New York.

USNORTHCOM has established a coordination element at Joint Base McGuire, Dix, Lakehurst, N.J., to serve as the command and control node for all military support activities, and as a central point for equipment and supplies.

For more information, please contact NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs at (719) 554-6889. For information about NORAD or USNORTHCOM, please visit our Web sites at http://www.norad.mil or http://www.northcom.mil .