Posted on October 17, 2024
BALTIMORE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District has deployed a variety of specially trained personnel to various locations on the East Coast in early Oct. to support ongoing tropical storm Helene and Hurricane Milton response and recovery efforts.
Currently, 17 members from the Baltimore District are deployed, a number that is expected to increase substantially in the coming weeks and continue until recovery missions close out. Additional response volunteer experts around the District prepare to deploy while others remain on standby ready to support when needed.
USACE members from Districts around the country are deployed to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee providing similar response and recovery support.
“I am confident that we have the right team of professionals in place to provide disaster relief support in response to Tropical Storm Helene and Hurricane Milton,” said Col. Francis Pera, Baltimore District Commander. “The skillset and expertise these responders possess will be an incredibly valuable asset to the larger response mission.”
The Baltimore District debris management team is providing assistance to the extensive damage and debris left in the Commonwealth of Virginia. USACE has its Deployable Tactical Operations System (DTOS) standing by, prepared to support in response to the mission in other states. This emergency response vehicle provides an expedient communications platform for first responders where there are no available communications to support response operations.
“Baltimore District subject matter experts are supporting in many of the impacted states,” said Baltimore District Chief of Emergency Management Dorie Murphy. “The skilled professionals that have deployed for response and recovery have volunteered to leave families behind to support fellow Americans in need. Those employees not forward deploying are taking on added roles to assure important missions of the Baltimore District continue as we support other Districts managing the restoration of services and recovery in impacted areas.”
USACE is the nation’s lead federal agency for engineering and public works under the National Disaster Response Framework managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These USACE response missions may include providing temporary power for critical infrastructure, debris removal and management, and providing temporary roofing and housing. USACE also provides flood risk management and flood response assistance under its own authorities. Under these authorities, USACE will work with flood risk management project sponsors to rehabilitate levee systems and other structures designed to protect communities from future floods.
Baltimore District is primarily designated as one of seven Debris Management Teams which is often one of USACE’s largest recovery missions in people and dollars. Debris removal and management usually begins within weeks of disaster occurrence and often takes months to complete. Baltimore District is also providing subject matter experts for debris management as well as infrastructure assessment in coordination with FEMA, state and local officials.
Additional Information
Baltimore District delivers vital engineering solutions in collaboration with its partners to serve and strengthen the Nation, energize the economy, and reduce disaster risks. Headquartered near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Baltimore District provides design, engineering, construction, environmental, and real estate expertise to various important projects and customers. This support spans five states, the District of Columbia, overseas, and the Susquehanna, Potomac, and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. These civil and military missions and diverse engineering services support communities and warfighters while addressing the ever-growing list of emerging national security requirements and ultimately protecting the Nation.
