Brig. Gen. Diana Holland talks about the recovery mission ongoing at the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point in North Carolina, and other USACE relief and recovery efforts in areas throughout the Carolinas hit by Hurricane Florence.
As the Carolinas continue to shatter previous flood record levels, the Army Corps of Engineers continues its work in areas affected from the last year’s stunning amount of hurricanes, including both Florence and Harvey.
e and local partners to ensure they’re not completely caught off guard in any natural disaster.
Hurricane Florence was no different. The USACE districts had to ensure once the storm had reached hurricane status they had the proper funding, personnel and expertise to respond.
She said it’s all about ensuring that as soon as the storm passes, teams are in place and ready to respond.
But what happens when scientists are unable to determine when or where a disaster will hit?
Many members of the South Atlantic USACE team live and work in the areas that were subject to evacuation orders. Holland said making sure their families were safe was first priority.
From one hurricane or natural disaster to another, people who live through the experience often say it gets easier. But over the last year, the amount of hurricanes and damage resulting from the storms has been somewhat tumultuous.
The past two hurricane seasons can in some cases be lumped together because recovery efforts from last year’s storms are still an ongoing process, she said.
Because USACE teams are already postured, they have been more equipped to deal with the aftermath of the most recent hurricane. USACE is continuously working on its effort to be there even quicker — even if that means starting in the wrong place. The sooner the team moves forward, the quicker they can react, Holland said.
Corps members who sign up to deploy for disaster relief also don’t know how long they will be in an area or even what the impact could be. Despite the uncertainty, Holland said she has never personally heard one of her employees complain about the length of time they are deployed.
The citizens of Puerto Rico still have to deal with broken down infrastructure and other damage as a result of last year’s hurricane. Holland said the power authority has reported that 100 percent of the power has been restored to their clients.
But USACE continues to provide logistical support to the territory.
Perpetual flooding is still an issue along the East Coast in the wake of Hurricane Florence. USACE maintains strong partnerships other federal agencies — such as the National Weather Service — to ensure they can understand what is going on in areas such as South Carolina, what damages may occur due to flooding and what the relief will look like both physically and monetarily.