Two American Samoan children make their way home past a destroyed home destroyed by a recent tsunami, Pago Pago, American Samoa, Oct. 1, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young

FEMA

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that cleanup and recovery efforts in American Samoa are making significant progress. At the same time, FEMA and other federal partners remain actively involved, bringing food, shelter, medical supplies and other assistance to meet the immediate needs of residents affected by last week’s earthquake and tsunami. “We continue to work with Governor Tulafono to support the priorities he has identified as the response in American Samoa progresses,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Through the Federal Coordinating Officer, Kenneth Tingman, we are working closely with local leadership as well as our federal partners and non-profits, to meet the needs of survivors and begin the recovery.”

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kenneth Tingman and American Samoan Governor Togiola Tulafono have already flown over the affected areas to view the damage and to identify any additional areas of immediate need in parts of American Samoa impacted by Tuesday’s tsunami.

“When we arrived last week, our initial efforts were to ensure that the Governor and the people of American Samoa had all the life saving materials they needed. We are now focusing our efforts, under the direction of the Governor, to support their life supporting needs, as they continue to respond and recover,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kenneth Tingman. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the individuals and families that have been impacted by this event, and we will continue working as a team with our territory and federal partners to respond to Tuesday’s tsunami.”

The information below represents the progress of resources and supplies into the island territory in the aftermath of the tsunami:

Federal responders from FEMA, American Red Cross, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies are on the ground in American Samoa. The main priorities of the disaster operations remain focused on restoration of commercial power in the eastern district, and repairs and restoration of the region’s infrastructure. Roughly 65,000 cubic yards of debris has already been identified for removal.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG), National Guard, and United States Navy have provided critical transport of the life-saving and life-sustaining supplies and equipment to meet the immediate needs of the survivors, including more than 26,000 meals, 14,000 liters of water, 1,800 blankets, 800 tents, more than 800 cots, and nine pallets of medical supplies in support of the territory’s mass care operations. More than 20 generators have already been deployed to American Samoa, with several already supplying power to critical infrastructure. More generators are on their way, which will support communities and critical facilities.

FEMA and its federal partners are supporting the local government, which is distributing more than 3,500 meals a day. As FEMA and our federal partners continue to support the territory with a priority focus on life-safety activities, power restoration, and medical and shelter support, the agency is also preparing for recovery efforts. Recovery specialists, including Individual Assistance specialists and a housing planning team are being deployed.

FEMA and our federal partner, the General Services Administration, are in the process of locating and securing a facility where a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will be established. DRCs will connect affected residents with recovery specialists from federal, state and local agencies for personal, one-on-one assistance for those affected by the tsunami.

FEMA continues to coordinate with our federal partners, providing the following support to the region. Additional information on response and recovery efforts can be found below:

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): National Guard, and United States Navy have completed critical transport of the life-saving and life-sustaining supplies and equipment to meet the immediate needs of the survivors, including meals, water, blankets, tents, cots, and medical supplies.

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD): The Department of Defense has completed 11 missions between Hawaii and American Samoa, transporting federal personnel, vehicles, communications equipment, cots, blankets and generators. The DOD also assisted with survey flights, hazmat and damage assessments.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE): USACE reports the water system on American Samoa is functioning. USACE is coordinating the installation and use of more than 20 generators at critical, prioritized life-saving and life-sustaining public facilities like shelters, sewer and water treatment plants or emergency management and response facilities.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): The Department of Energy is part of team working with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers focused on the restoration, generation, transmission and distribution of electric power. The team is working with local authorities to prioritize areas that remain without power, particularly in the eastern district.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): HHS has approximately 50 medical personnel deployed to American Samoa, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, public health, and mental health professionals to support public health and medical needs. HHS also provided pharmaceutical and medical supplies.

American Red Cross (ARC): The American Red Cross has more than 70 volunteers on the ground in American Samoa providing food and supplies in affected areas. Using a warehouse on American Samoa stocked with cots, flashlights, cooking supplies and clean-up supplies, trained volunteers are bringing additional supplies including recovery kits that are awaiting transport to American Samoa.

Families that have been in contact with loved ones on American Samoa can share information about their well-being by registering them with Safe and Well at www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). For photos and more information about American Red Cross relief efforts in American Samoa visit newsroom.redcross.org

Non-governmental organizations, including the American Red Cross are also providing assistance to the impacted region. Financial contributions to disaster relief organizations in the form of cash donations will allow voluntary organizations to fund response and recovery efforts quickly and provide the needed goods and services to disaster survivors. Your financial support will help the American Red Cross respond quickly to disasters like the Pacific Islands tsunami in American Samoa and Samoa. You can donate by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or (1-800-257-7575 (Spanish), or visiting www.redcross.org, and donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

To see a video message from the Federal Coordinating Officer on recovery efforts to date, please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr6kpEryBu4&feature=channel_page

For B-roll of generators arriving on American Samoa please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiYUB2qzxAY&feature=channel_page

U.S. Air National Guard and 93rd Civil Support Team, U.S. Army National Guard personnel drive past homes and businesses left in ruins along the main road of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Oct. 1, 2009, after a tsunami. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young

FEMA

Federal Response
Region IX

• Region IX RRCC remains activated at Level II
• Region IX Incident IMAT is deployed to American Samoa with DCO, DCE, and MERS support
• National IMAT-West will provide back-up to Region IX response operations. Region VIII IMAT is currently on a 2-hour recall for possible deployment. Region IX will maintain operational control.
• FEMA 1859-DR-AS approved on September 29

FEMA Headquarters:

• FEMA NRCC transitioned to Level III; 24 hour operations, with select ESFs

Current Situation / Status of Response:

• Transition of citizens from shelters to homes/temporary housing, commodity distribution, long-term power restoration, generator installation, assess HAZMAT conditions
• 33 confirmed fatalities
• Approximately 450 families are being supported by 14 shelters and 9 feeding centers
• The overnight shelter figures are difficult to verify as some people are using the shelters as feeding centers only
• Additional medical supplies enroute
• 24 schools will reopen on October 5; 10 schools without power have had power restored;  5 more schools are scheduled to resume classes on 13 October
• One of the two island power plants remains off-line.  A three-phase plan has been developed between USACE and ASPA to address the short, medium, and long term power requirements of the eastern district
• 23 generators have been delivered to American Samoa.  Additional generators have been requested
• Aviation fuel supply is available and fuels management plan is being formulated
• Expect full JFO to be operational on Tues, Oct 6
• Beginning coordination of Logistics Recovery Planning and retrograde requirements

American Samoans try to make the best of a bad situation by barbecuing in front of what's left of their home in Pago Pago, American Samoa, a tsunami, Oct. 1, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young

Save the Children

Save the Children is working on the ground in American Samoa with the local government, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross to respond to the needs of the more than 2,700 residents and 210 families impacted by the deadly tsunami that hit the Samoan Islands on Tuesday. Read a blog from Save the Children emergency staff in American Samoa.Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, 34 people have been reported dead and in many parts of the islands water is not drinkable. Several families in American Samoa are living in shelters and Save the Children deployed to the region within 36 hours to ensure the needs of children were being met.

Initial assessments found an immediate need for secure, structured places for children to play and recover in shelters. Save the Children established several safe playing spaces, called Child Friendly Spaces, to serve 300 children in the Amanya, Nual Se’etega and Leone shelters. These spaces offer books, toys, structured activities for children and temporary supervision, so that parents can register for emergency aid and begin to plan their families’ next steps.  Save the Children is also working with agencies on the ground to ensure additional children’s needs, like diapers, cribs and clothing will be met.

American Samoa officials intend to re-open 28 of the territory’s 32 elementary schools tomorrow, which will provide a safe, familiar place for children affected and help them to return to their normal routine. FEMA has reported that families will move out of the larger shelters and into individual family tent shelters this week.

A trash fire burns in the foreground as a car hangs off the side of a porch roof in Pago Pago, American Samoa, after a tsunami struck the island, Oct. 1, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young

Department of Defense

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2009 – As the U.S. military continues to provide assistance to victims of storms and earthquakes in the Philippines and Indonesia, tsunami relief operations in American Samoa are tapering off, a Defense Department spokesman said here today.

The humanitarian-relief operation in American Samoa “is essentially winding down,” Bryan Whitman told reporters. The U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean was hit by an earthquake-caused tsunami Sept. 29.

Eleven C-17 cargo-plane missions provided nearly 700,000 pounds of supplies, blankets, electricity generators, vehicles and other help to American Samoans, Whitman said. A 14-member civil-support team from the Hawaii National Guard remains in American Samoa to assist authorities with hazardous material removal and damage assessments, he added.

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Tags: american samoa, FEMA tsunami response, Hawaii National Guard, Pago Pago, samoa earthquake, samoa tsunami, Save the children tsunami response, south pacific earthquake, south pacific tsunami

This entry was posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 11:06 pm and is filed under Disasters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.