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Hawaii earthquake disaster recovery update

Get free weekly news by e-mailFEMA has sent an Emergency Response Team Advance (ERT-A) consisting of 75 personnel to Hawaii in response to the earthquake that recently hit the state.

The ERT-A team includes FEMA operations personnel charged with the coordination of federal resources to support impacted communities. Other agencies on the team include, the US Small Business Administration, US Forest Service, Department of Transportation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, and Department of Health and Human Services. Power, transportation and other infrastructure specialists are also part of the team.

FEMA's Pacific Area Office has already been working with the Hawaii State Civil Defense to do rapid needs and preliminary damage assessments. The focus has been centered on an assessment of power generation and distribution, potable water systems (pump stations) and sewage treatment requirements on the western portion of the Big Island.

Since the earthquake, and with the receipt of a state request for federal assistance, FEMA is responding with the following:

* Five Mobile Emergency Response Support personnel with communication gear (including satellite gear) are en-route to Hawaii.

* Two National Disaster Medical Systems team have been placed on alert, (CA-9 and NM-1) and the Hawaii-1 team (activated through the state) assisted in the movement and relocation of hospital patients on the island of Hawaii.

* FEMA's Region IX Regional Response Coordination Center has been activated to a 24/7 operation status.

* The Coast Guard through their air station at Barber's Point, Hawaii provided C-130 aircraft for transportation of hospital patients from the Big Island to Oahu.

Source: FEMA

Date: 18th October 2006• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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