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News | May 25, 2011

U.S. Northern Command supports response to severe weather in Midwest

By NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Northern Command activated the Defense Coordinating Officer and Defense Coordinating Element for FEMA Region VII and extended the DCO and DCE for FEMA Region VI today in support of response efforts to the severe weather in the Midwest.

U.S. Army North DCO and DCE for FEMA Region VI was initially activated to support flood relief in the south and have been extended with the activation of FEMA Region VII to provide assessment and coordinate DoD assets as required in the Midwest. DCOs and DCEs work very closely with federal, state, tribal and local officials to determine what unique DOD capabilities can be brought to assist in mitigating the effects of severe weather.

Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Air Forces Northern and Marine Forces North will deploy to FEMA Region VII to assist the DCO assess and plan Department of Defense support of civil authorities.

The Department of Defense has capabilities that can be used to save lives as well as many other unique support capabilities such as air lift, medical, communications, and catastrophic planning.

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.

U.S. Army North provides defense support of civil authorities as the Army component of USNORTHCOM, the combatant command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., that is responsible for homeland defense and civil support.