PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Northern Command is coordinating Department of Defense support to FEMA, state and local response in anticipation of Hurricane Ike and preparing for its potential landfall in the United States.
The following is a list of DoD assets and personnel that are part of U.S. Northern Command’s support efforts:
NEW OPERATIONS:
- USNORTHCOM’s Army North provided three UH-60 helicopters in support of the Department of Public Safety, Texas today. The 1st Cavalry Division from Ft. Hood, Texas, provided the assets.
- USNORTHCOM, working with U.S. Transportation Command, provided aeromedical evacuation of medical patients from Beaumont Airport, Beaumont, Texas to Easterwood Airport, College Station, Texas.
- Designated two military installations (Lackland Air Force Base, Texas and Randolph Air Force Base, Texas) as base support installations. The installations will serve as locations where military units conduct logistical operations.
ONGOING OPERATIONS:
- USNORTHCOM, working with U.S. Transportation Command, provided aeromedical evacuation of medical patients from Corpus Christi Airport, Corpus Christi, Texas.
- USNORTHCOM’s Air Forces Northern is establishing a search and rescue unit in preparation of Hurricane Ike landfall and in support of Texas Search and Rescue. The 331st Air Expeditionary Group is responsible for search and rescue operations and will be located at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.
- USNORTHCOM is providing medium lift, rotary wing military aircraft to conduct search-and-rescue efforts and movement of personnel and supplies in support of disaster operations in the affected region.
- USNORTHCOM, working with U.S. Air Forces Northern, is providing personnel and air management systems in direct support of the Texas Military Forces Aviation Coordination Group. These assets will assist Texas manage air operations during operation in response to Hurricane Ike in Texas.
- DoD has designated the military installation of Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as a FEMA National Logistics Staging Areas to support forward distribution of supplies and equipment to affected areas as required prior to Hurricane Ike making landfall.
- Defense Coordinating Officers/Elements for FEMA Regions X and VI have been activated in support of the response to Hurricane Ike to support FEMA as the lead federal agency. They are located in Austin, Texas and will work very closely through FEMA with other federal, tribal, state, and local officials to determine what unique DoD capabilities can be brought to assist in mitigating the effects of a natural disaster.
U.S. Air Forces Northern is the air component to U.S. Northern Command. 1st Air Force/AFNORTH assist USNORTHCOM in fulfilling its Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities missions.
U.S. Army North provides defense support of civil authorities as the Army component of U.S. Northern Command.
USNORTHCOM’s subordinate commands are Joint Forces Headquarters National Capital Region, Joint Task Force Alaska, Joint Task Force Civil Support, Joint Task Force North, and Standing Joint Force Headquarters North.
USNORTHCOM is the joint combatant command formed in the wake of the Sept.11, 2001 terrorist attacks to provide homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities. Supporting FEMA, state and local response in anticipation of Hurricane Ike, USNORTHCOM is preparing for the hurricane’s potential landfall in the United States.