WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Walla Walla District deployed a military civil engineer to Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, to provide technical assistance to the USACE South Atlantic Division emergency operations center (EOC) as they respond to the effects of Hurricane Florence in several states along the East Coast, according to District emergency management officials.
Army 1st Lt. Samuel Prichard, from the District Headquarters’ Operations Division in Walla Walla, Washington, will serve as an operations officer and EOC battle captain for South Atlantic Division for about a month. Prichard’s hometown is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
USACE emergency operations centers are integrated with local, state and federal response efforts. USACE conducts its emergency response activities under two basic authorities – Public Law 84-99 (Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies), and when mission assigned by FEMA under the Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance Act.
USACE also has fully-engaged teams actively monitoring and managing USACE dams to make as much water storage available as possible. The teams will continue to monitor and manage the dams throughout the event. These dams reduce the risk of downstream flooding, but do not eliminate it. Risk remains from the potential massive rainfall and flooding downstream from other drainage areas not associated with the dams. USACE also coordinates with state authorities and FEMA on requests received to assess non-USACE dams.
USACE is prepared and ready to respond to natural and human-made disasters and overseas contingencies. When disasters occur, USACE teams and other resources are mobilized from across the country to assist our local districts and offices to deliver our response missions. USACE provides flood response assistance when requested and continues to monitor potential impacts to several existing and planned flood risk management projects.
In any disaster, USACE’s three top priorities are:
• Support immediate life-saving and life-safety emergency response priorities;
• Sustain lives with critical temporary emergency power and other needs;
• Initiate recovery efforts by assessing and restoring critical infrastructure.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to perform its important day-to-day missions at home and abroad in support of the nation and its Armed Forces while providing support for disasters.
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Release no. 18-112