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Attorney Eliezer Aldarondo, USACE Puerto Rico U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration team members met with Bayamon city leaders to discuss the potential use of city land space at the Bayamon sports complex in the greater San Juan metropolitan area Dec. 22.

Bayamon mayor steps up for Puerto Rico

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration team members met with Bayamon city leaders to discuss the potential use of city land space at the Bayamon sports complex in the greater San Juan metropolitan area Dec. 22.

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 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration continues their mission through the holidays. Corps Quality Assurance Specialist Amy Tillery observes as a contracted crew from Mas-Tec persist with a stubborn pole anchor and guy, while working to straighten a recently placed power pole Christmas morning. The previous pole along with most others in the area had either been broken or toppled by Hurricane Irma and Maria. Residences and businesses in the area have been without power for over 100 days.

Work continues through the holidays to restore power to Cidra

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration continues their mission through the holidays. Corps Quality Assurance Specialist Amy Tillery observes as a contracted crew from Mas-Tec persist with a stubborn pole anchor and guy, while working to straighten a recently placed power pole Christmas morning. The previous pole along with most others in the area had either been broken or toppled by Hurricane Irma and Maria. Residences and businesses in the area have been without power for over 100 days.

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 Tons of critical power grid materials arrive daily for housing at the Ponce warehouse, part of the critical electrical components needed to rebuild the island’s power grid. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Task Force Power Restoration team maintains 100 percent accountability of every item, from the smallest electrical component to the 5,500-pound concrete utility pole, until it arrives at the delivery site, is stored and ultimately issued to the workforce.

Corps on track to deliver Puerto Rican citizens life-sustaining power

Tons of critical power grid materials arrive daily for housing at the Ponce warehouse, part of the critical electrical components needed to rebuild the island’s power grid. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Task Force Power Restoration team maintains 100 percent accountability of every item, from the smallest electrical component to the 5,500-pound concrete utility pole, until it arrives at the delivery site, is stored and ultimately issued to the workforce.

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 The Contracting Team of the Puerto Rico Recovery Field Office met with local businesses to brief them on upcoming acquisition opportunities. The Contracting Team used a town hall-style forum, improvising from their usual announcement methods to compensate for the limited communications infrastructure in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

USACE’s Puerto Rico Contracting Team

The Contracting Team of the Puerto Rico Recovery Field Office met with local businesses to brief them on upcoming acquisition opportunities. The Contracting Team used a town hall-style forum, improvising from their usual announcement methods to compensate for the limited communications infrastructure in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

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 Robert McAllister, contracting officer from Mobile District, speaks with Pedro Acevedo of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company during the engagement.

USACE's Puerto Rico Contracting Team

Robert McAllister, contracting officer from Mobile District, speaks with Pedro Acevedo of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company during the engagement.

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Soldiers, USACE Civilians Restore Power in St. Thomas, USVI

Sergeant First Class Ben Knibbe, front, and Staff Sgt. Nathan Womelsduff, right, of Fort Belvoir-based 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) team up with USACE Power Planning and Response Team member Kevin Pigott, rear, to connect a generator to the Nisky Communications Center on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on Saturday, Sept. 14th.

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 Coastal engineers Doug Wall, left, and Kevin Conner refer to a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) notebook on Wrightsville Beach during their spot checks of specific sections of the beach. They uploaded data to the District's GIS server to be analyzed for any potential damage. (USACE photo by Hank Heusinkveld)

Coastal Engineers Assess Status of Beaches Post Hurricane Irma

Coastal engineers Doug Wall, left, and Kevin Conner refer to a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) notebook on Wrightsville Beach during their spot checks of specific sections of the beach. They uploaded data to the District's GIS server to be analyzed for any potential damage. (USACE photo by Hank Heusinkveld)

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 BG Diana M. Holland, South Atlantic Division Commander, leads discussion of plans to respond to a potential double strike by Hurricane Irma.

USACE, South Atlantic Division response to Hurricane Irma

BG Diana M. Holland, South Atlantic Division Commander, leads discussion of plans to respond to a potential double strike by Hurricane Irma.

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 ATLANTA, GA- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southern Atlantic Division’s (USACE SAD) Brigadier General Diana Holland, went to FEMA’s Region 4 Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Atlanta, GA, Sep. 7, 2017.

South Atlantic Division coordinates with FEMA and Georgia Response Coordination Center after Hurricane Irma

ATLANTA, GA- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southern Atlantic Division’s (USACE SAD) Brigadier General Diana Holland, went to FEMA’s Region 4 Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Atlanta, GA, Sep. 7, 2017. The RRCC is where Joint agencies track the effects as well as plan for Hurricane Irma’s impact on the region. Pictured from left to right Corps South Atlantic Division’s Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Douglas S. Padgett, Brig. Gen. Diana Holland, Marc G. Dumas, readiness contingency operations, and Amy Aton, disaster response planner of the emergency response team out of the San Francisco District along with FEMA Region 4 Response Division Director, Gwen Keenan.

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 Savannah District power team prepares to deliver generators to Lakeland, Florida

Corps provides electrical power to Lakeland, Florida

Members from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District Temporary Power Team hold a morning briefing at the Warbird Ramp Airfield before a mission to provide emergency electrical power in Lakeland, Florida, Sept. 12. Starting left and going clockwise, members are Paul Nelson, Scott Weaver, Jeremy Jones and Jim Lee. Temporary power teams deliver and install large generators to critical public service facilities until primary power is restored.

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 Wilmington District Commander Col. Robert Clark and the District's Chief of Emergency Operations, Janelle Mavis, discuss recovery efforts while en route to the U.S. Virgin Islands. (USACE photo by Angela Zephier)

District Begins Hurricane Irma Recovery Deployment to U.S. Virgin Islands

Wilmington District Commander Col. Robert Clark and the District's Chief of Emergency Operations, Janelle Mavis, discuss recovery efforts while en route to the U.S. Virgin Islands. (USACE photo by Angela Zephier)

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Attorney Eliezer Aldarondo, USACE Puerto Rico U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration team members met with Bayamon city leaders to discuss the potential use of city land space at the Bayamon sports complex in the greater San Juan metropolitan area Dec. 22. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Power Restoration continues their mission through the holidays. Corps Quality Assurance Specialist Amy Tillery observes as a contracted crew from Mas-Tec persist with a stubborn pole anchor and guy, while working to straighten a recently placed power pole Christmas morning. The previous pole along with most others in the area had either been broken or toppled by Hurricane Irma and Maria. Residences and businesses in the area have been without power for over 100 days. Tons of critical power grid materials arrive daily for housing at the Ponce warehouse, part of the critical electrical components needed to rebuild the island’s power grid. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Task Force Power Restoration team maintains 100 percent accountability of every item, from the smallest electrical component to the 5,500-pound concrete utility pole, until it arrives at the delivery site, is stored and ultimately issued to the workforce. The Contracting Team of the Puerto Rico Recovery Field Office met with local businesses to brief them on upcoming acquisition opportunities. The Contracting Team used a town hall-style forum, improvising from their usual announcement methods to compensate for the limited communications infrastructure in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. Robert McAllister, contracting officer from Mobile District, speaks with Pedro Acevedo of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company during the engagement. NA Coastal engineers Doug Wall, left, and Kevin Conner refer to a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) notebook on Wrightsville Beach during their spot checks of specific sections of the beach. They uploaded data to the District's GIS server to be analyzed for any potential damage. (USACE photo by Hank Heusinkveld) BG Diana M. Holland, South Atlantic Division Commander, leads discussion of plans to respond to a potential double strike by Hurricane Irma. ATLANTA, GA- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southern Atlantic Division’s (USACE SAD) Brigadier General Diana Holland, went to FEMA’s Region 4 Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Atlanta, GA, Sep. 7, 2017. Savannah District power team prepares to deliver generators to Lakeland, Florida Wilmington District Commander Col. Robert Clark and the District's Chief of Emergency Operations, Janelle Mavis, discuss recovery efforts while en route to the U.S. Virgin Islands. (USACE photo by Angela Zephier)

Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Releases

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Hurricanes Irma and Maria News Stories

  • October

    workers repairing a levee in Atkins, Arkansas

    Work nears completion on Conway and Pope County Levee

    In 2019, floods damaged levees across the Arkansas River Valley. As part of a joint effort with levee districts throughout the state, the Little Rock District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rushed to identify the damage and make repairs. Now, with fall crisp in the air, contractors working in the newly consolidated levee district of Conway and Pope County, are well ahead of schedule.
  • IN THE PHOTO, members of the Infrastructure Assessment Planning and Response Team assess an area damaged by Hurricane Laura in southwestern Louisiana. The Corps evaluated a total of 52 fire stations, 53 water and wastewater facilities, and one hospital while deployed to Louisiana. (Courtesy photo)

    USACE supports storm survivors with safe structures

    Responding to disasters is one of several missions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with. Part of answering this call is through specialized teams that go out and conduct infrastructure assessments in disaster areas. "On Aug. 29, the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deployed an Infrastructure Assessment Planning and Response Team (PRT) management cell to Louisiana," Infrastructure Assessment Action Officer Doug Weber said. "When I first started on the Infrastructure Assessment team, I thought it was all about placarding peoples’ homes for safety, " Mission Specialist Adrienne Murphy said. "But in our last two deployments, we’ve been asked to perform inspections of drinking water systems, wastewater systems, and public facilities like hospitals and fire stations."
  • A California Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk places a 3,000-pound sandbag at the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin in Montebello, California, as part of an exercise during which the district teamed up with the California Army National Guard to demonstrate flood-mitigation capabilities.

    LA District teams up with California Guard for flood-control exercise

    Partnership was the keyword Oct. 8 as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District teamed up with the California Army National Guard for a flood-control exercise at the Whittier Narrows Dam Basin.
  • A contractor spays special foam on a coal fire at an abandoned Navy coal mine in Cumberland, Washington, August, 2020. At the request of the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation the USACE Omaha District's rapid response team was asked to provide assistance. (Courtesy photo by Mr. Jeremy Ayala)

    District’s rapid response team helps extinguish coalmine fire in Washington state.

    In June, after an unsuccessful attempt by local firefighters to put out a smoldering fire at an abandoned Navy coalmine in Cumberland, Washington, the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation reached out to the USACE Omaha District’s technical center of expertise rapid response team for assistance.
  • The Corps was lauded by the Waterfront Alliance for its work in rendering assistance during a crisis, and for its navigation mission, ecosystem restoration wetlands restoration, and coastal restoration achievements.

    Army Corps Honored by Waterfront Alliance as ‘Heroes of the Harbor’

    Army Corps honored by the Waterfront Alliance for its work and achievements.

  • September

    Drone operators from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering Research and Development Center, or ERDC, in Vicksburg, Miss., deploy forward to southwest Louisiana mid-Sept. 2020 in support of Operation Blue Roof for Hurricane Laura response. Charles McKenzie, left, and Michael Baker operate a drone in Sulfur, La., Sept. 20. On the front end of the Blue Roof mission, drones can be used to help our staff assess homes to determine eligibility for the program. On the back end, they help our quality assurance specialists verify the fiber reinforced sheeting was installed per contract specifications.

    Blue Roof recipients witness USACE innovation

    Innovating and improving processes are what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers do, especially when it comes to hurricane recovery operations. So when it came time to respond to a Hurricane like Laura, the Corps came ready to deliver temporary roofing with an upgraded Blue Roof Program.
  • LGL meets with Beauregard Parish official

    Local Government Liaisons reach the hearts of communities

    Often during disaster response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Planning and Response Teams such as, temporary emergency power, debris removal and Operation Blue Roof are the Corps activities in the limelight; however, the little-known and little-seen Local Government Liaison, or LGL, national cadre is operating in the background, providing a critical lifeline of communication between Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state, local officials, and the Corps.
  • IN THE COLLAGE, photos of southwest Louisiana homeowner and blue roof recipient Brennon Williams and his home both before and after the blue roof installation. Williams’ home was one of 3,730 to receive a blue roof during Hurricane Laura recovery efforts. (Courtesy photos)

    Corps, Samaritan's Purse go above and beyond for Laura survivor

    "The day I met Mr. Williams, I was looking for his house and drove past it because I didn't see it; all I saw were trees," Roofing Quality Assurance Specialist George Hayes recalled. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting anyone to be home. So many folks evacuated after the storm, I just figured no one was home. As I got closer to the door, I heard his little dog bark. I yelled, "Is anyone home?" and I saw a movement through the window. The door opened, and he drove his wheelchair out onto the front porch. My heart just sank." At that moment, Hayes knew he needed to go above and beyond to help this man.
  • Tim Gouger (right) program manager, Rapid Response, Omaha District Technical Center of Expertise, speaks with Brig. Gen. Diana Holland, USACE South Atlantic Division Commander,at the Palo Seco power plant in Puerto Rico Dec. 2017. The rapid response team assisted with setting up two backup mega generators to provide temporary power in the aftermath of hurricane Maria in Sept. 2107.

    District’s technical center of expertise provides rapid response during emergencies

    With September and October being the peak hurricane months, the Omaha District's rapid response team stands ready to offer disaster relief assistance should the need arise. According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association the 2020 hurricane season has already set a record by logging 20 storms as of Sept. 14.
  • IN THE PHOTO, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors install a generator at one of several facilities requesting temporary power after Hurricane Laura damaged their installation. The temporary power mission is one of the Corps' primary missions in supporting Louisiana's recovery from Hurricane Laura. (Courtesy photo)

    USACE provides power to hard-hit Louisiana

    Living in the 21st century, most Americans have electricity on demand. When it isn’t working, it usually doesn’t take longer than a day to get it turned back on. But what happens when a storm like Hurricane Laura hits? Close to 200,000 residents living in southwestern Louisiana lost power on Aug. 27. Many of them are still without it, weeks after the storm has come and gone. Delivering power to southwest Louisiana is one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' top priorities. USACE is installing generators in several critical facilities like water pump stations, sewage lift stations, hospitals, radio towers, and corrections facilities, to name a few. The 23-person team responsible for installing these generators ensured they were in Louisiana before Hurricane Laura even made landfall.

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.