Updated at 11:50 a.m. MT, October 29, 2012
Firefighters in the land management agencies have been dispatched to the east coast to be prepared to assist with recovery from the impacts of the mega-storm, Hurricane Sandy.
Incident Management Teams activated
Two short versions of conventional Type 2 IMTeams have been dispatched. Grant’s team from the Eastern Area is pre-positioned at Ft. Devan Mass., and Pisarek’s team from Minn. with 11 people is pre-positioned at Oneida County Airport near Albany, New York.
There is a report that two other teams have been ordered. We will update this article when we have more information.
In addition, two of the National Park Service’s internal Type 2 IMTeams have been activated and staged. The Eastern Region’s team IMT is in Hagerstown, Maryland, and the Midwest Region’s team is in Columbus, Ohio. The NPS has many parks and national monuments along the east coast and in the New York area that are being heavily affected by the storm. More details about the impacts on those facilities today can be found here. Their Morning Report, updated each week day, will have ongoing information.
Crews dispatched
Pre-positioned at Ft. Deven, MA:
- MN-MFC Type 2 crew
- MI-HMF/MI-UPC Type 2 crew
Pre-positioned at Oneida County Airport near Albany, NY:
- MO-MOC Type 2 crew (arriving tonight)
Ordered for or en route to Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY (Long Island):
- Augusta IHC
- Cherokee IHC module
- 10-person VAF saw crew
- 20-person crew (TBD)
Federal Emergency Management Agency response
FEMA’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) #4, Firefighting, is the responsibility of the U.S. Forest Service. The agency is the primary link between the interagency wildland fire community, Federal structure-fire-related agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security under the National Response Framework. During disasters and other major emergencies, the USFS coordinates and staffs ESF #4 to be the face of Federal firefighting support to FEMA and other responding agencies.
ESF #4 offices have opened in four locations: FEMA headquarters, FEMA Region I in Maynard, MA, FEMA Region II in Earle, NJ, and FEMA Region III in Philadelphia, PA.
The FEMA blog has more information about how the agency is dealing with the storm.
Information about the hurricane
Here are two Google Maps that provide detailed information:
- Radar, storm forecast tracking, storm surge probability, shelters, web cams, and more
- Evacuation zones in New York City
Hello,
The Maine Type 2 IMT (IC Jeff Currier) is currently mobilized in Brooklyn, NY and helping with the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. We would like to be listed on the wildfire today webpage in the section, ” Hurricane Sandy, firefighting resources update.”
Thanks
Mr. Nelson: I added the Maine IMTeam to the list, but our most recent articles are on our home page. HERE is a direct link to today’s update on the wildfire resources assigned to Hurricane Sandy.
no info on what teams are in NJ ? i do know the the NJIMT team is working in north jersey but i dont know what they doing i may be able to help if you need me to find out
Mr. Delrossi, our most recent articles are on our home page. HERE is a direct link to today’s update on the wildfire resources assigned to Hurricane Sandy.
Need help with some acronyms, Bill
MFC
HMF/MI-UPC
MOC
VAF saw crew
MI-HMF is Huron Manistee N.F. In michigan
MI-UPC is the Upper Peninsula on Michigan. Most likely people are fom the FS,BIA, NPS, and FWS in the U.P.
MFC – MN Fire Center
MOC – Missouri Fire Center
Here is the link to all the unit identifiers in the US. http://www.nifc.blm.gov/nsdu/unit_id/Publish.html They typically start with the state abbreviation, then if it ends in A it’s BIA (as in “XX Agency”), F is USFS, P is NPS, S is state, X is county, C is “center” as in dispatch center or GACC, D is usually BLM district, etc. Once you get used to it, it makes sense, but the link will let you look up any agency identifier in the wildland world.