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(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 02, 2009 ) WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced ongoing preparations for Typhoon Melor in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam. As Typhoon Melor gains strength, FEMA continues to closely monitor the storm with the Hurricane Liaison Team at the National Hurricane Center. These important preparations take place as FEMA continues to work with its federal partners to support Governor Tulafono and American Samoa as they respond to Tuesday’s tsunami.
“As we prepare for Typhoon Melor, we continue our coordination and support for American Samoa,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “These events, and other disasters that threaten the United States and its territories, are a reminder that disasters can happen anywhere, and that is why we are constantly working with our partners to ensure that resources are pre-positioned to quickly respond to any event or needs that arise in the regions we serve.”
FEMA and its federal partners are working closely with the CNMI Governor Benigno Fitial and Guam Governor Felix Perez Camacho as they make decisions for their potential response activities. Both FEMAÂ’s National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) in Washington, D.C. and the Region IX Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Oakland, California are fully activated, and are supporting deployed federal teams in American Samoa, Guam, and CNMI.
FEMA has pre-positioned equipment and critical supplies in CNMI and Guam to respond immediately to any needs, including:
More than 90,000 meals
90,000 liters of water
More than 2,500 cots
More than 3,800 blankets
85 generators
These resources are supplemented by more than 110,000 meals, more than 190,000 liters of water, and additional supplies already in Hawaii, which are also available to support the response in American Samoa.
Key federal personnel and other key federal responders have been deployed for rapid transport to Guam and CNMI. Two Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMAT) and a Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) specialist are staged in Guam. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) and teams from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are prepared for deployment to assist with response efforts. Federal responders are also on the ground in Saipan, the capital of CNMI.
Individuals and communities are reminded that personal preparedness is essential to an effective response. Individuals and families that could be affected by Typhoon Melor should have emergency supplies on hand so authorities can focus response efforts and resources to life-saving and sustaining efforts.
Presently there is a team of over 245 federal responders from FEMA, Coast Guard, HHS, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, and other federal agencies on the ground in American Samoa. FEMA has and continues to deliver critical supplies and equipment to assist with the immediate needs of the survivors, including meals, water, blankets, tents, cots and generators and communications units in support of the territoryÂ’s mass care operations.
Updates on operations in American Samoa as well as any necessary response to Typhoon Melor will be released as they become available.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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