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Press Release | Sept. 19, 2018

U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND REMAINS PROACTIVE

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  –  

Residual flooding in the areas affected by Hurricane Florence remain a concern for U.S. Northern Command as it continues synchronizing Department of Defense efforts in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and North Carolina leaders.

"USNORTHCOM is the synchronizer for all DOD forces which are responding to Florence. The National Response Framework is working exactly as it should and we are tied in at every level," said Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. "Right now, DOD's focus is on bringing the capabilities and capacity which augment the states and the National Guard; this gives us a synergy and unity of effort for the entire DSCA response."

USNORTHCOM continues to monitor the situation as flooding remains the greatest concern. The states are well-positioned to respond, but DOD personnel and capabilities will remain until the threat passes and they are no longer needed.

"The DOD has deployed additional high-water vehicles for commodity distribution, route assessments and personnel evacuations," said O’Shaughnessy. "We've seen firsthand how effective DOD high-water vehicles, helicopters and search and rescue forces can be, and we are well-suited to assist now that the rains and winds are subsiding and flooding has become the primary concern."

Below is an updated summary of DOD support to FEMA, state and local partners:

 Across the DOD Defense Support of Civil Authorities enterprise, we have 12,730 personnel (5,653 Both Active and Reserve Forces; 6,854 National Guard; 91 DLA; 132 USACE) supporting the rescue and recovery efforts.

 The National Guard has conducted 22 rescues and 451 evacuations of more than 900 citizens, performed law enforcement and security assistance missions in 29 locations and continue to support 262 shelters housing more than 12,000 evacuees.

 As the weather is clearing out, increased incident awareness and assessment collections are providing improved situational understanding to local, state and federal partners. The DOD is taking this information and feeding it into the National Guard Bureau’s Domestic Operations Awareness and Assessment Response Tool system.

 USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and USS Arlington (LPD 24), embarked with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, remain in position to provide Defense Support of Civil Authorities. U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command has positioned additional forces to provide support, as requested.

 U.S. Army North has rescued 22 people, including four children, and evacuated 321 others in southeastern North Carolina utilizing high-water vehicles.

 The 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, traveled 600 miles in two days to support Hurricane Florence response operations. The 101st arrived at Fort Bragg with 78 high-water vehicles to provide assistance to residents of the affected areas and other agencies supporting the efforts.

 Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installation-East, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, have completed all missions under Immediate Response Authority in response to requests from local authorities. In total, II MEF Marines evacuated 136 civilians from 38 locations.

 The United States Army Corps of Engineers survey vessels have begun damage assessments of federal ports in North Carolina. USACE is integrated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard to enable rapid port reopening.

 The DOD’s Defense Logistics Agency continues providing commodity support to FEMA and DOD units supporting response operations. DLA pushed more than 28,000 liters of bottled water, more than 16,000 cases of shelf-stable meals to seven locations in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, as well as 35 pallets of meals to Camp Lejeune, N.C. DLA continues to provide fuel support to DOD units operating throughout the affected areas.

 The services are conducting damage assessments to military installations in the affected areas. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is experiencing minor flooding, impacting nine buildings. The airfield resumed operations today and evacuated aircraft will return to base tomorrow.

 Fort Bragg has localized flooding, but no major damage or concerns at this time. Roads are accessible and the post remains open.

 Camp Lejeune continues to recover and restore functions using back-up capabilities. Marines and Sailors who evacuated will return no earlier than Sept. 24.

USNORTHCOM’s efforts to posture and anticipate needs have ensured the right forces and capabilities are in place to assist state and local authorities at the right time, which is now.