From a Coast Guard Atlantic Area Public Affairs News Release
PORTSMOUTH, Va., Nov. 1, 2012 – Coast Guard leaders Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, Atlantic Area commander, and Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich, director of Operational Logistics, conducted an aerial survey of the New Jersey coastline, New York Harbor and Long Island yesterday to assess the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy.
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"The United States is a maritime nation and we rely heavily on the ports for commerce. Ninety-five percent of our goods come to us by way of [the] sea. Just about everything you purchase ... most likely came through a seaport somewhere at some time,” Parker said.
“The port of New York and New Jersey is vital to our nation's economy and we are doing everything humanly possible to get the port back to full operations. This is an all-hands-on-deck evolution," he added.
The Coast Guard's priorities are safety of life, to restore the local maritime transportation system -- specifically in New York and New Jersey -- and to effect rapid reconstitution of operations in the affected areas. Coast Guard crews continue to conduct assessments to ensure ports are safe and ready for business.
Coast Guard operations continue despite some service shore infrastructures sustaining flood damage, limited communications capacity and power outages.
As the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, Parker serves as the operational commander for all Coast Guard missions within a geographic region that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and spans across five Coast Guard Districts and 40 states.
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