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Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Releases

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Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Stories

  • April

    Lt. Col. Jonathan Klink, commander, Pittsburgh District, follows CDC guidelines for the removal and decontamination of personally protective equipment following an assessment of a potential Alternate Care Facility in northeastern Ohio, Monday. Currently, Pittsburgh District is on standby for mission assignments to begin the process of preparing ACFs for action at two previously assessed sites.

    Corps Teams Conduct Crucial Assessments

    In the face of an ongoing national health crisis, assessment teams from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District have been evaluating possible sites for Alternative Care Facilities (ACF) across western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio.

  • Corps Starts Construction of 450-Bed Alternate Care Facility at Miami Beach Convention Center

    The governor of Florida and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commanding general met with county and city leaders in Miami Beach Wednesday to discuss construction of an alternate care facility in the Miami Beach Convention Center. Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers, joined Gov. Ron DeSantis, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber on a tour of the 500,000 square foot facility that the Army Corps of Engineers began transforming into a 450-bed alternate care facility Tuesday.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District Southern Resident Office facilitated a certified decontamination team to clean a project site at Camp Walker, South Korea after a contractor employee tested positive for COVID 19, Mar. 2020.

    FED Southern Resident Office facilitates site decontamination

    CAMP WALKER, South Korea—COVID-19 has become a pandemic that has affected almost every corner of the world. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Far Eat District (FED) has been faced with challenges due to the pandemic, however, the district has remained resilient in its efforts.

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building 17 alternate care sites in 8 states

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building 17 alternate care sites in 8 states, including New York, California, Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, Florida, Tennessee, and Illinois.
  • Meetings are taking place inside the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton Virginia between local, state and federal representatives on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps has received three mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood)

    USACE to begin construction on alternate care facilities in Virginia

    The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received three mission assignments from FEMA to construct alternate care facilities in Northern Virginia, the Hampton Roads region and in the Richmond, Virginia area.
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    Engineers continue working through weekend to bring alternate care facility online

    A multidisciplinary team of Memphis District engineers spent the weekend preparing documents that outline the scope of work required to convert the Gateway Shopping Center on Jackson Avenue into a COVID-19 Alternate Care Facility (ACF).
  • The Norfolk District continues to work with the state of Virginia and FEMA in assisting them with performing site assessments on facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Officials with the state determine which facilities they want evaluated, while District personnel inspect and report their findings back to the state and FEMA. Final decisions on which facilities to use are made by state officials.

    USACE adds 4 additional locations to alternate care sites in NY, NM

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers added four new contracts on to construct alternate care sites in response to COVID-19. The new locations will be in Queens, NY; Bronx, NY; Staten Island, NY, and Albuquerque, NM. The contracts were issued on Friday and Saturday. USACE has completed 756 assessments of possible locations for alternate care sites. USACE is working in support of the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency - and in coordination with other federal, state, local and tribal partners – in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The latest facts and figures about our ongoing activities are contained in the following infographic (As of April 5).
  • USACE COVID-19 Infographic Day 22 April 4, 2020

    USACE COVID-19 Response Efforts Update for April 4, 2020

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working in support of the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency - and in coordination with other federal, state, local and tribal partners – in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The latest facts and figures about our ongoing activities are contained in the following infographic (As of April 4).
  • Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, commanding general of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was on site at the TCF Center in Detroit, Michigan today to tour and brief State and City leaders about the Detroit District's Alternate Care Facility construction progress.

    Work Continues on Alternate Care Sites in 8 Locations

    April 3, 2020 update regarding USACE contracts for alternate care sites selected by State governments. This listing of USACE contracts awarded to support Alternate Care Sites will be updated daily. An Alternate Care Site (ACS) is a facility that’s temporarily converted for healthcare use during a public health emergency to reduce the burden on hospitals and established medical facilities. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) compiled the following materials to support States and municipalities in creating ACSs to support their medical requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of Alternate Care Sites is a State-led and managed process. While there are some steps listed on the Alternate Care Sites page in which the Federal Government may be able to provide assistance, States and Municipalities are encouraged to complete them on their own. The fact that materials and activities are listed on the Alternate Care Sites page do not imply that the Federal Government will be providing any assistance in executing them. States should tailor all materials based on local requirements.

  • Huntsville Center professionals working around the clock so assessment teams can hit the ground running

    U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville professionals work with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' geographic districts, FEMA and Health and Human Services to provide deliverables to assessment teams, including plans and specifications for the rapid conversion of hotels, dorms, convention centers and large arena-type facilities into alternate care facilities.

Blue Roof Logo

Operation Blue Roof 1-888-ROOF-BLU (7663-258) is a priority mission managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The purpose of Operation Blue Roof is to provide homeowners in disaster areas with fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs.

Call centers for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be established as communications on the islands improve.


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Overview

  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is prepared and ready to respond to natural and human-made disasters and overseas contingencies. When disasters occur, USACE teams and other resources are mobilized from across the country to assist our local districts and offices to deliver our response missions.
    • USACE has more than 50 specially-trained response teams supported by emergency contracts to perform a wide range of public works and engineering-related support missions. 
    • USACE uses pre-awarded contracts that can be quickly activated for missions such as debris removal, temporary roofing, commodities distribution, and generator installation.
  • Every year, USACE, as part of the federal government’s unified national response to disasters and emergencies, deploys hundreds of people to provide technical engineering expertise and to promote capacity development at home and abroad. 
    • In 2016, USACE had 1096 personnel deployments in response to one or more of 33 disaster declarations.
      USACE serves as the lead agency to respond with public works and engineering support and to coordinate long-term infrastructure recovery.