PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Northern Command is coordinating Department of Defense’s support to FEMA, state and local response following Hurricane Ike’s landfall in Texas.
The following is a list of DoD assets and personnel that are part of U.S. Northern Command’s support efforts:
·The USS Nassau departed Norfolk, Va., on its way to Galveston, Texas, in support of Hurricane Ike relief efforts.
ONGOING OPERATIONS:
·USNORTHCOM is providing to FEMA high water vehicles, small boats, air search rescue assets including helicopters and aircraft to assist in search and rescue operations; and Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers to support the Defense Coordination Officers.
·USNORTHCOM has established a link on its Web site to Aidmatrix, which provides people access to technology that connects donors with relief organizations. Aidmatrix is a nonprofit organization which is FEMA sponsored and funded. More than 35,000 corporations, nonprofits, and government partners use Aidmatrix to mobilize aid in areas of hunger, medical, and disaster. Aidmatrix provides resource management tools for unsolicited donations of cash, in kind products, and unaffiliated volunteers. You can find additional information on Aidmatrix at www.aidmatrix.org.
·The 331st Air Expeditionary Group at Randolph AFB, Texas pre-positioned 42 search and rescue aircraft to assist FEMA with post landfall search and rescue. USNORTHCOMcoordinates search and rescue operations with mission partners in accordance with theNational Search and Rescue Plan and in support of FEMA.
·DoD has designated the military installations, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Randolph Air Force Base, Texasas a FEMANational Logistics Staging Areas to support forward distribution of supplies and equipment to affected areas.
·Defense Coordinating Officers/Elements for FEMA Regions X and VI were activated in response to Hurricane Ike to support FEMA as the lead federal agency. They are located in Austin, Texas and working closely with FEMA and 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.
·Designated four military installations (Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Polk, La.) as base support installations. The installations will serve as locations where military units conduct logistical operations.
U.S. Air Forces Northern is the air component to U.S. Northern Command and located at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. AFNORTH assists USNORTHCOM in fulfilling the air component of Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities missions.
U.S. Army North is the land component to U.S. Northern Command and located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. ARNORTH assists USNORTHCOM in fulfilling the land component of Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities missions.
USNORTHCOM, located in Colorado Springs, Colo. 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 the wake of Hurricane Ike, USNORTHCOM is continuing to assist with recovery efforts and is prepared to respond to other potential missions.
