Aboard The Uss Wasp ( CNN ) -- -- Even before Hurricane Irene started thrashing the U.S. East Coast , the Navy prepared for what it could do if the disaster was even more catastrophic than it proved to be . As Irene strengthened and bore down on the United States , the Navy ordered 27 warships to sail out of its massive naval station in Norfolk , Virginia . Another 11 ships , already at sea on various duties , were told to stay out . `` Our first mission was to sortie the fleet and keep the fleet safe , '' said Capt . Brenda Holdener , commander of the USS Wasp , one of the ships that left Norfolk . Like Air Force bases that fly their planes west , moving ships to sea has become standard operating procedure for the Navy when major hurricanes approach . `` Ships are safer at sea than than are in port during a hurricane or heavy weather , '' said Lt. Cmdr . Timothy Reiswig , navigator of the Wasp . But when the Wasp , an amphibious assault ship , headed out of Norfolk , steering clear of Irene was just its first objective . The ship was also prepared to respond with a wide array of equipment and people to the hurricane zone if civilian officials asked for help . `` Over the years we 've had so many hurricanes that devastate this country , you know we kinda get primed for being ready and responsive to it , '' said Rear Adm. Kevin Scott , commander of Amphibious Task Force 26 , a unit that was created to be more prepared for hurricane response than any other Navy unit . `` What you are seeing is lessons learned from what has happened over the past few years , and realizing that the response that 's required for a major catastrophe -- you know like Hurricane Katrina and Rita -- requires all the resources that the nation has to bear , '' Scott said . Those resources were focused on the Wasp , one of America 's largest amphibious ships . The ship has a full-sized flight deck , capable of launching heavy-lift or search and rescue helicopters , and a dock inside its stern , capable of carrying and launching two huge landing craft . Those boats can move from inside the hull of the Wasp to just about any beach and unload some 160 tons of equipment , supplies or personnel . And not all the help has to go to shore . The Wasp , which normally carries Marines into combat , has a huge hospital deck . `` We have three operating rooms . We can expand to four . We have 15 ICU beds that you can see here , each one with it 's own equipment , which is exactly what you would find in a normal ICU , '' said Lt. Cmdr . Juan Dapena , a doctor who is the senior medical officer on the Wasp . Dapena 's regular medical staff was augmented by a surgical team that was prepared to go ashore to help with any medical emergencies . The ship also brought a group of Seabees , Navy engineers who are trained in disaster response . They brought along chainsaws , water pumps -- even a bulldozer . But putting this vast capacity of disaster aid to use depends on a twist of federal law . States can and did mobilize thousands of National Guard troops to help victims of Irene . But the Navy sailors involved in Amphibious Task Force 26 are active-duty military , and they ca n't just find a crisis and start helping . Under a system called Defense Support of Civilian Authorities , local officials who want help have to ask the federal government for it . The president would then issue an order to the military , which would trickle down the chain of command before the Wasp and other ships in the task force could go to work . This time , as bad as Irene was , state and local officials , as well as non-military federal agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency , were able to respond without calling in the Navy . But Scott thinks even though his task force focused on practice training , that what he saw while at sea for the past week is evidence the Navy is better prepared than ever . `` Over the years we 've just gotten better and better at it and poised to respond , '' Scott said . But to prove that the Navy has gotten better , that would likely require a disaster like Irene ... only worse .
The USS Wasp is one of America 's largest amphibious ships . It has a full-sized flight deck , a dock inside its stern and a hospital deck . `` What you are seeing is lessons learned , '' says Rear Adm. Kevin Scott .