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Local volunteers distribute commodities at a FEMA point of distribution center in Houston, Sept. 15, for residents impacted by Hurricane Ike. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA Local volunteers distribute commodities at a FEMA point of distribution center in Houston, Sept. 15, for residents impacted by Hurricane Ike. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Corps team on frontline during Hurricane Ike recovery

By Jerry Rogers
Norfolk District Public Affairs Office

NORFOLK, Va. – NORFOLK, Va. – Six employees of the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, deployed to Texas today to join 10 team members, who after initially deploying Sept. 8 and 9 to Meridian, Miss., redeployed to San Antonio, Texas, when Hurricane Ike's pathway turned toward Galveston.

These 16 employees are volunteer members of the Norfolk District Commodities' Team, a specialized Corps team that helps the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state officials coordinate the purchase, transportation and distribution of water and ice during times of federal emergencies.

The team initially pre-positioned to the San Antonio area, said Gregg Williams, the commodities team leader, and geared up to provide basic commodities of water and ice to the people in need directly after Hurricane Ike's impact. The team moved to Houston shortly after Ike made landfall.

"The 16 team members are providing direct support to the Corps' Seattle District Commodities Team, the lead Corps team for this mission," said Norfolk District Emergency Manager Stan Ballard. "They are working at various FEMA Points of Distribution (POD) commodities sites throughout the impacted region."

According to information compiled daily in the Corps Emergency Response Situation Reports, as of Sept. 16, 840,000 pounds of ice and 424,800 liters of water has reached citizens in need.

The Norfolk District team is one of 40 specially trained Corps response teams used to support national missions such as the Hurricane Ike rescue and recovery efforts. These teams are trained, equipped and stand ready to perform debris removal, commodities procurement and delivery, as well as provide temporary emergency power, temporary housing, temporary roofing, infrastructure assessment, quality assurance inspections, and support to urban search and rescue missions, as assigned by FEMA.

The Army Corps of Engineers is a major part of FEMA's federal assets and, to date has provided the following support in response to recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ike:

  • Nearly 1,000 Corps employees are actively supporting emergency response and recovery throughout Texas and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
  • One of the Corps' highest priorities is to survey Houston's channels and ports to restore the nation's second largest port to full commercial capacity. The Corps has a rigorous schedule set up to conduct hydrographic and side scan sonar surveys of the Houston/Galveston Bay complex, the Sabine Neches Waterway Freeport, Matagorda, the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, the Victoria Barge Channel, and Chocolate Bayou.
  • The Corps is conducting power assessments and providing generators for critical public facilities, such as hospitals, police stations, and water treatment facilities.
  • The Corps is coordinating the efforts of the Interagency Debris Task Force that is comprised of local, state and federal agencies that will rapidly assess the debris management needs across effected areas of Texas.

"The role of the Corps during natural disasters and our commodities team participation with FEMA are extremely vital," said Norfolk District Commander, Col. Dionysios Anninos. "I'm extremely proud of our people here who are volunteering to help fellow citizens. Something tragic has happened to our homeland, but we are all coming together to do what is necessary to take care of our citizens and get them back on their feet."

The Norfolk District Commodities' Team deployed to the extreme southern portions of Texas in July, in the wake of Hurricane Dolly. To stay current on the Corps' response to Hurricane Ike, log onto www.usace.army.mil.

MEDIA ADVISORY: The Norfolk District Commander, Col. Dionysios Anninos and Emergency Management Chief, Stan Ballard, are available to discuss the district's emergency response mission and the mission of the Norfolk District Commodities Team. Additionally, telephone interviews with deployed members of the commodities team may be available as the situation allows. Media representatives interested in these availabilities should contact the Norfolk District public affairs officer at (757) 201-7673.

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