 President Bush signed a federal
emergency disaster declaration hours after the state of Oklahoma
submitted its request on Monday. The emergency declaration opened
the way for more federal aid to assist in the efforts to save lives,
protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert
the threat of a catastrophe in all 77 counties in Oklahoma.Even
before Oklahoma officials asked for the declaration, FEMA had been
working with them to offer assistance and move resources into the
area. Disaster response specialists from FEMA Region V, Region VI
and Region VII have also engaged state officials in Illinois, Iowa,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin to
identify needs and coordinate federal relief efforts to the
communities affected there. As these needs are being identified,
federal assets are already speeding to the affected states to assist
with anticipated federal aid requests for emergency power
restoration, essential commodities and life-sustaining missions.
"We’re looking ahead to anticipate the needs of the states for
tomorrow and the next day, and not only address the needs identified
today," said FEMA Administrator David Paulison. "I’m extremely
pleased with the coordination at the federal, tribal, state and
local levels."
Some of the actions undertaken over the past few days in the
hardest-hit states include assisting emergency officials to monitor
effects and assess needs for federal aid. Specifically, the regions
and other federal agencies continue to do the following:
Region V federal response
The FEMA Region V Regional Response Coordination Center, Chicago,
Ill., has been activated and is being supported by regional
Emergency Support Functions that are monitoring the effects of the
storm and coordinating with other federal agencies such as the Army
Corps of Engineers and nongovernmental organizations such as the
American Red Cross. Regional staff members also are supporting
Region V states by maintaining close contact with all of the Region
V state emergency operations centers.
Regional disaster specialists have been deployed to Illinois and
Wisconsin to assist with identifying needs and providing technical
support to the state emergency managers in the affected states.
Additionally, preliminary damage assessment teams have been
identified and are prepared to begin assisting state and local
emergency managers to assess damage and need for more federal aid.
Region V is poised to immediately provide generators, water and
ready-to-eat meals if needed.
Region VI federal response
The FEMA Region VI Regional Response Coordination Center, Denton,
Texas, has been activated. Ongoing support missions Tuesday focused
on delivering a 50-pack generator kit to Oklahoma City early in the
day to assist with state infrastructure, and another 50-pack
generator kit was being delivered to Tulsa in the evening.
Preliminary damage assessment teams have been identified and are
prepared to begin assisting state and local emergency managers to
assess damage and need for more federal aid.
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Trucks carrying drinking water have been deployed to Tulsa to
support state efforts and those of private nonprofit organizations
to shelter and feed residents. Additional regional assets such as
cots, blankets and ready-to-eat meals have been identified and are
being prepared to be deployed to Oklahoma City.
Region VII federal response
The FEMA Region VII Regional Response Coordination Center, Kansas
City, Mo., has been activated and has mobilized its Mass Care
Emergency Support Function to assist with shelter support if
necessary. Even though there has yet to be a state request for
federal assistance, the region is anticipating the need and
pre-staging a generator pack, water and ready-to-eat-meals in Kansas
City.
Other federal agencies:
National Guard Bureau
The National Guard has been
mobilized in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma to provide generator
support, law enforcement support and sheltering assistance.
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Missouri National
Guard Armory in Lamar opened as a Red Cross warming center.
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Missouri National
Guard is providing 85 guardsmen for severe weather support, to
include unarmed security operations for warming center, law
enforcement support and logistics.
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Kansas National
Guard is providing 18 guardsmen for severe weather support, to
include generator support in Labette and Cherokee counties.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stands ready to respond to
restore essential public services and facilities relating to the
Midwest ice storm. The corps has deployed the 249th Engineering
Battalion's Prime Power Assessment Teams and the Tulsa District's
Emergency Power Planning and Response Team to Oklahoma City to
assist in restoring power to critical public facilities. The corps
has also deployed a mobile communications response vehicle to assist
in the efforts.
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for,
preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering
from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including
acts of terror.
[Text from file received from
the Federal Emergency Management
Agency]
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