Coast Guard Update

The U.S. Coast Guard, the first Department of Homeland Security agency to provide assistance to Haiti following Tuesday’s earthquake, continues to provide support Wednesday to the U.S. Government’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts.The aircrew of a Coast Guard H-60 Jayhawk helicopter medically evacuated four, critically injured U.S. citizens from the U.S. Embassy Wednesday morning and a second medevac of five people was conducted Wednesday afternoon.  The injured were transported to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Guantanomo Bay, Cuba.  Two Coast Guard C-130s are scheduled to arrive Wednesday evening with the ability to evacuate up to 140 personnel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Two other Coast Guard C-130s from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., are being prepositioned to Air Station Miami to support the relief efforts.  Among the pending aircraft missions for Coast Guard aircraft is an airlift to Haiti from the U.S. of two Urban Search and Rescue Teams which is being coordinated through U.S. Southern Command.

The Coast Guard Cutter Forward arrived in the waters off Port Au Prince, Haiti, at about 8 a.m., Wednesday and together with Maritime Intelligence Support Team 0410, was able to assess some of the damage caused to the Port Au Prince port.  Coast Guard personnel observed multiple oil and fuel spills as well as possible sewage spills in the area of the port,  about one to one and a half miles from the coast.  They also reported seeing multiple small fires along the shoreline and significant damage to or destruction of infrastructure at the port.

Damage to port infrastructure is reported to include the port’s container crane and other cargo cranes.  Some of the cranes are reported to be completely submerged and others appear damaged but the extent of the damage cannot yet be fully determined.

Overflights of Haiti conducted by two, Coast Guard C-130 aircraft from Air Station St. Petersburg, Fla., revealed much less observable damage along the Northern shore of Haiti than in the area surrounding Port Au Prince.  To view Coast guard video from the overflight click here or go to http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=744801.  To view photos from the overflight and other relief efforts click here or visit http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=77427.

The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk also arrived in the coastal waters of Haiti Wednesday afternoon.

The Coast Guard Cutters Tahoma and Valiant are slated arrive in Haitian waters Thursday.  The Tahoma is loaded with relief supplies for earthquake survivors.

“When the sun came up this morning in Port au Prince there was a Coast Guard cutter off-shore providing command and control, assessing the situation, providing situational awareness,” said Adm. Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant.  “So within 24 to 36 hours we had three cutters with the capacity to support hundreds if not thousands,” said Allen.

Allen made these remarks during the opening minutes of an address today at the Surface Naval Association conference.  Click here for to see video of Allen’s remarks or go to http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/01/video-admiral-allen-on-haiti-earthquake-and-relief/.

“We encourage the American people to donate what funds they can afford to disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross to allow voluntary relief groups to provide goods and services to disaster survivors in Haiti as quickly as possible,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Miami, Fla.

The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, is homeported in Key West, Fla.

The Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, N.H.

The Coast Guard Cutter Forward, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, is  homeported in Portsmouth, Va.

The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) performs an underway replenishment (UNREP) with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). This is the ship's first UNREP since completing a scheduled refueling complex overhaul at Northrop Grumman Shipbulding. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Ashley Van Dien/Released)

Massive US Navy surge for Haiti relief

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) has been ordered to deploy to Haiti to conduct Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HA/DR) missions Jan. 13. Currently, Vinson is underway in the Atlantic Ocean, and will briefly loiter off the coast of Mayport to receive equipment and supplies.

Along with Vinson, USS Bataan (LHD 5) embarked with Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU 22), USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) were ordered to get underway as soon as possible. Additionally, USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Underwood (FFG 36) and USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) will deploy from their homeports and stand ready to assist, while USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), homeported in Baltimore, Md., is preparing to get underway, if required.

A Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from the Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 detachment operating from Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, El Salvador, took off early this morning to conduct aerial surveys of the area affected by the earthquake.

USS Higgins (DDG 76) based out of Naval Station San Diego will arrive on station off the coast of Haiti tomorrow to provide afloat logistical services for the Coast Guard helicopters.

Additionally, various units are prepared to provide assistance with sea-based helicopters, to include H-53 Sea Stallions and H-60 Seahawks.

As the Navy component command of U.S. Southern Command, NAVSO’s mission is to direct U.S. Naval forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interact with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Routine operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.

Nations send aid and personnel to Haiti

– Brazil’s Ministry of Defense ordered its U.N. troops in the country to offer whatever assistance they can, Brazil’s official news agency reported.

– China is preparing to send a 50-member rescue team, including three sniffer dogs, the official news agency Xinhua reported. China has 125 peacekeeping police in Haiti, Xinhua reported.

– Spain is sending three planeloads of aid — two from Panama in Central America and one from Madrid, the Spanish capital, CNN affiliate CNN+ reported. Spain is also making 3 million euros ($4.35 million) available for aid and will coordinate the European Union response.

– France, Haiti’s former colonial ruler, dispatched two planeloads of rescue personnel, one from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean and one from Marseilles, France.

– Russia is sending a mobile hospital with a staff of 45, including 20 doctors, Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Elena Chernova told CNN. The mobile hospital “has intensive therapy, surgery, diagnostics, ultra-sound, X-ray, electrocardiogram modules as well as a blood test laboratory,” and can accommodate 50 patients at a time, Chernova said.

– Cuba sent an additional 30 doctors, plus medical supplies, to join the 344 doctors and paramedics it already had working in Haiti on humanitarian missions, said Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

– Iceland is sending a 37-man search-and-rescue team and offered to help evacuate foreign nationals, its foreign ministry said.

– Canada has a five-man team already in Haiti as part of the U.N. relief efforts there.

– The United Kingdom and Israel also pledged to send survey teams.

MC-130P Combat Shadow

Air Force Special Ops deploy to Haiti

Officials from the 1st Special Operations Wing here deployed two MC-130H Combat Talon IIs from the 15th Special Operations Squadron and one MC-130P Combat Shadow from the 9th Special Operations Squadron Jan. 13 in support of humanitarian operations in Haiti.

The aircraft carried medical personnel, a fly-away security team, and a special tactics team composed of combat controllers, special operations weathermen and pararescuemen.

Further support from 23rd Air Force, 27th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, the 1st SOW and the Air Force Reserve’s 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field, Fla., will deploy as necessary.