PACOM on Point: Responding to Disasters

The response from PACOM to the numerous natural disasters all over the Pacific is fairly large, and in the Philippines in particular the media is taking notice.

First up, USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) are in Guam. Guam was able to avoid Typhoons, but the ships will be able to participate in community projects while the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) catches up.

PACOM has sent C-17s to Indonesia and is also sending the USS Denver (LPD 9) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85) to help out. Some news reports suggest more ships are also being sent, but I have not seen any specific details of that yet. The death toll from the earthquake is expected to exceed 3,000.

USS Ingraham (FFG 61) is providing support to American Samoa following the Tsunami there, and the CO is expected to give a bloggers roundtable tomorrow at 3 EST. I unfortunately, will not be able to make it but look forward to the transcript. You can listen to the Q&A live here at that time. In the same region, New Zealand appears to be preparing to send HMNZS Canterbury (L421) to the island nation of Samoa in a humanitarian response deployment.

Finally, a few thousand Sailors and Marines from USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Tortuga (LSD 46) are in Manila to assist the government of the Philippines in their relief efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma.

Facebook users might want to check out the incredible images from all of the disaster recovery efforts on the US Pacific Command page. In particular I recommend the images of the Marine convoy delivering to massive crowds, with everyone standing in 2 feet of water. That country is a mess.

Image: PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (Oct. 3, 2009) - A Sailor assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Ingraham (FFG 61) carts away rubble and debris during disaster recovery efforts in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The region was struck by an earthquake and tsunami. The Department of Defense is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with its relief effort. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young/Released)