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Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Releases

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Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Stories

  • March

    Hear remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, specific to support by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the national Coronavirus response. These clips are excerpts from today's press conference in the Pentagon. The full event, including remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy; Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville; Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite; and Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle can also be viewed here: https://facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/2643688735757461/

    USACE Support to COVID-19 Response

    Hear remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, specific to support by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the national Coronavirus response. These clips are excerpts from the March 20, 2020 press conference in the Pentagon. https://www.facebook.com/USACEHQ/videos/215875549492744/ The full event, including remarks by Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy; Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville; Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite; and Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Scott Dingle can also be viewed here: https://facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/2643688735757461/
  • FED engineer ensures Korean helipads structurally sound for USFK aircraft

    Far East District continues to provide engineering solutions during COVID-19

    CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea—South Korea was one of the first countries affected by COVID-19. Although the novel virus has drastically altered operations within the Republic of Korea, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Far East District (FED) has continued to diligently find ways to provide engineering solutions in support of United States Forces Korea (USFK).

  • Norfolk District restricting access to facilities to help prevent spread of COVID-19

    In order to help limit the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is restricting access to its properties to Corps personnel only.
  • Master Sgt. Rudy Parsons, a pararescueman in the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, searches debris fields with Callie, his search-and-rescue dog, in Cookeville, Tenn., March 3, 2019. Parsons and Callie searched for survivors of the multiple tornadoes that hit middle Tennessee earlier that morning, claiming 24 lives. Parsons and Callie — the only certified search-and-rescue dog in the Department of Defense — covered approximate one square mile in five hours. The Dutch shepherd is able to clear rubble piles in minutes using her keen sense of smell, saving hours or days over traditional search-and-rescue methods. (Courtesy Photo)

    Ky. Air Guardsman, search-and-rescue K9 clear tornado rubble in Tenn.

    A pararescueman from the Kentucky Air National Guard and his specially trained search-and-rescue dog, Callie, played a key role in Tennessee earlier this week when they searched for survivors following devastating tornadoes that struck the Nashville area early March 3.

  • February

    Work begins on WOSI

    New York District marks start of WOSI Work

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today announced measures to reverse flood damage west of Shinnecock Inlet after two storms in October 2019 resulted in severe erosion and large losses of sand along the shoreline. The damage threatened properties west of the Shinnecock Inlet, including Dune Road, an evacuation route, commercial fishing plants, marina facilities, and public restaurants. USACE has awarded a $10.7 million contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Oakbrook, Illinois, to address the significant coastline storm damages encountered at the West of Shinnecock Inlet Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project on the south shore of Long Island.

  • January

    Puerto Rico Airmen process relief support from Ohio, New Mexico ANG

    Puerto Rico Airmen process relief support from Ohio, New Mexico ANG

    Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s 156th Mission Support Group Airmen are providing the gateway to support efforts for units that traveled to Puerto Rico after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake caused damage in five southwest municipalities on the island.
  • Airmen of the Ohio Air National Guard, 200th RED HORSE Squadron, Mansfield, Ohio, depart for Puerto Rico to help with earthquake relief efforts Jan. 17, 2020.

    Ohio Airmen proud to support Puerto Rico earthquake relief

    MANSFIELD, Ohio – About 25 Airmen of the Ohio Air National Guard, 200th RED HORSE Squadron, departed
  • Dam Safety graphics

    Ready for the “Big One”? The Corps studies and prepares for the worst case

    Scientists tell us the Pacific Northwest is due for a very large earthquake—possibly as large as magnitude 9.2—from the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) off the Pacific coast, stretching from northern California to southern British Columbia. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District has been evaluating potential impacts to its dams in the Willamette, Rogue and Columbia River regions to prepare for such an event.

  • April

    FEMA Extends 100 Percent Funding for Emergency Response to Hurricanes

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended for 60 days the period in which it will cover 100 percent of eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken by the U.S. Virgin Islands in response to hurricanes Maria and Irma.

  • January

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Critical Public Facilities Project Manager John Schreiner (right) inspects the contractor’s temporary roof repair progress at a medical facility in Puerto Rico. The white roof in the back is a temporary rubber-like membrane applied to the existing flat roof to make it waterproof.

    Critical Public Facility mission evolves as Puerto Rico recovery efforts continue

    In the days following Hurricane Maria’s landfall on the island of Puerto Rico, the Federal Emergency Management Agency assigned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the mission to evaluate critical public facilities, but since then the mission has evolved from evaluation to construction.

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.