Army Engineers Deploy to Hawaii in Advance of Hurricane Lane

By Christopher Gardner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has deployed a specially trained debris management team to Hawaii in preparation for anticipated response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Lane, currently a Category 4 storm heading toward the state.

Five personnel -- a military officer and four civilians -- departed yesterday for Honolulu to stage assets, along with other personnel from across the Army Corps of Engineers associated with various emergency response capabilities.

"Our team is pre-staging for the storm and proud to assist in the national response to a storm that may cause significant impacts to Hawaii in the coming days,” said Dorie Murphy, chief of emergency management for the Baltimore District. “I’m confident that Baltimore District’s highly competent and experienced debris management team will be a true asset to the larger response mission.”

During contingencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can assign the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a mission to provide debris management assistance. Baltimore District’s debris planning and response team is one of seven specially trained Corps debris teams across the country.

Advising Authorities, Removing Debris

Support can involve technical support and advice to local authorities who may not be familiar with removal and disposal processes for large amounts of debris. It also can involve physically carrying out various debris removal activities.

Baltimore District personnel are prepared to support a large debris removal mission in Hawaii, with additional personnel prepared to deploy in the coming days and weeks.

The Baltimore District also is prepared to deploy its mobile communications vehicle, which provides a full spectrum of communications including radio, satellite and cellular capabilities. The vehicle was deployed to Puerto Rico to help jumpstart response and recovery efforts there last fall after Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Baltimore District’s debris experts recently supported debris removal associated with the wildfires in California as well as impacts from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Of note, the team supported debris removal in New York following Hurricane Sandy, as well as the large and unique debris removal mission after 9/11.