Army engineers Hurricane Sandy response efforts underway

Published Nov. 2, 2012
Col. Kent Savre, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. General Raymond T. Odierno, arrive at the Corps' division headquarters at Fort Hamilton, NY, Nov. 2. Gen. Odierno arrived to receive a briefing by Col. Savre before heading to New York City to see the Corps' operations there. (U.S. Army photo by Justin Ward)

Col. Kent Savre, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. General Raymond T. Odierno, arrive at the Corps' division headquarters at Fort Hamilton, NY, Nov. 2. Gen. Odierno arrived to receive a briefing by Col. Savre before heading to New York City to see the Corps' operations there. (U.S. Army photo by Justin Ward)

BROOKLYN, New York – As part of the national response framework for Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of FEMA and working closely with local, city, and state officials, is making steady progress in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Early preparations were key to reducing response times because teams of engineers deployed ahead of the storm.

The Corps’ pre-positioned teams on the ground were able to respond immediately after the storm, said Colonel Kent D. Savre, the commander of the Army Corps North Atlantic Division (NAD). The Division oversees operations in the northeastern U.S., Europe, and Africa. NAD also uses pre-awarded contracts with short activation times for critical recovery missions such as debris removal, temporary roofing, commodities distribution, and generator installation.

A priority mission is support to the NYC dewatering mission, said Savre. The division deployed technical assistance, senior leadership oversight, and is working to identify, deploy, and operate pumps consistent with FEMA mission assignments. The Corps currently has a $10M mission assignment from FEMA to provide pumps to NYC. Twelve eight inch pumps and 13 six inch pumps have been shipped from New Orleans to support the dewatering Mission Assignment from FEMA.

The Division is actively supporting the Emergency Temporary Power mission in New York and New Jersey said Savre. The division is ready to provide emergency power with more than 300 generators staged at forward locations to provide capacity beyond states’ capabilities. U.S. Army Corps teams are currently deployed to strategic locations in NY, NJ and PA to haul, install, operate and maintain generators at critical facilities. The Corps is also operating under FEMA authority several debris management missions.

Other Planning Response teams remain on alert for Commodities Distribution, Infrastructure Assessment, Temporary Roofing, Critical Public Facilities, Water Planning, and Temporary Housing. Additional Temporary Power Teams have also been placed on alert status.

Any media seeking to speak to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division about the Corps' actions in response to damage from Hurricane Sandy should contact Justin Ward at 718-765-7192, 347-675-8601, or justin.m.ward@usace.army.mil.

Contact
Justin Ward
347-370-4550
justin.m.ward@usace.army.mil

Release no. 12-022