Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/9/05

Human Services Report #6




1900 9/9/05




Current Situation




• The corner has been turned in southern Mississippi, as response has peaked and is now on the downhill side as Recovery begins to move into high gear.


• Field Teams report significant improvements in electricity and diminished activity at the POD sites. This is further confirmed by the long lines of trucks parked everywhere here at Stennis. There are 238 water trucks and 170 ice trucks sitting at Stennis.


• The Red Cross and Salvation Army has arrived in force and now have a significant presence in the area. The Salvation Army reports 12 canteens in Jackson, 13 in Harrison and 2 in Hancock (with more on the way). The Red Cross has augmented the ERV’s in the area with over 40 panel vans.


• The Red Cross has a warehouse in Gulfport and the Salvation Army a warehouse in Biloxi. Resources such as cots, blankets, bath kits, bleach, lime and USDA commodities are moving from Stennis to these warehouses for distribution by ARC and TSA mobile feeding vehicles.


• New mobile kitchens have arrived and Stennis is providing logistical support to these kitchens.


• The city of Pearlington, in Hancock County, received their first hot meals since the storm from the ARC and TSA.




Unmet needs




• Six loads of USDA commodities arrived and were pushed forward to TSA and the ARC. Mississippi Dept. of Education responded promptly to an emergency plea and is providing three loads directly to the ARC and TSA warehouses today.


• There is no ESF-17 representative and there are significant animal issues, including rodents, that must be dealt with.


• The scarcity of trucks is affecting the ability to move critical resources into the area. The delay in receiving USDA commodities is due to the shortage of trucks. The Dumpster vendor reports that they will not be able to move in their assets due to the trucking shortage. The trucks needed to move these resources are sitting on Stennis with unneeded water and ice.




Future Operations




• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.


• Deploy human resources to Pearlington to establish local government


• Continue assessment of small coastal communities


• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive


• Improve quality of life in the shelters

Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/8/05

Human Services Report #5




1900 9/8/05




Current Situation




• POD in Pearlington moved from damaged fire house to Charles T Murphy Elementary School.


• Visited and assessed 4 other coastal towns in western Hancock County. Catastrophic damage in each. MRE’s and supplies ordered through tracker.


• 6 Human Services staff from Ft. Walton Beach arrived this PM.


• Conferred with Red Cross in Gulfport, and discussed the usage of tracker.


• Conferred with Red Cross in Waveland, and discussed the usage of tracker.


• Local Government meeting about moving the POD at Stennis International Airport to possible the Library.


• Salvation Army liaison arrived – Neil Lewis


• ESF 11 received and inventoried 2 loads of USDA commodities.




Unmet needs




• We have orders for 10 trailer loads of USDA commodities and only have 3 loads of spaghetti on hand.


• Insect spray, batteries, flashlights.


• No ESF-17 representative






Future Operations




• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.


• Deploy human resources to Pearlington to establish local government


• Continue assessment of small coastal communities


• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive


• Improve quality of life in the shelters

Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/7/5

Human Services Report #4




1900 9/7/05




Current Situation




• ESF 15 representatives did a Volunteer and donations assessment in Hancock and Harrison Counties. They are relaying these assessments to the State ESF 15 in Jackson, MS.


• Verified shelter locations and cot requirements in Harrison Counties. Ordered cots on hand to be dispatched tomorrow.


• Conducted assessment of Pearl River County and Purlington in Hancock County. Pearl River is doing better but the conditions in Purlington were very bad. All homes destroyed and inhabitants living in muck from storm surge. Delivered 500 cots within 2 hours of report and ordered numerous additional resources for tomorrow.




Unmet needs:
 Desperately need tarps. Many people living in damaged or destroyed homes or without shelter at all. A heavy rain storm will be disastrous without some attempt at cover.




Future Operations


• Continue ESF 15 assessments.


• Continue to add resources to shelters to improve living conditions of the victims.


• Identify additional locations to deliver USDA commodities.


• Receive and deploy additional Human Services personnel in support of the Counties.

Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/6/05

Human Services Report #3




1900 9/6/05




Current Situation




• Conducted direct coordination with Red Cross and Human Services representatives in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties.


• Received and briefed 2 Red Cross liaisons to Florida Area Command.


• Developed a distribution plan for the cots, when they arrive.


• Began development of a distribution plan for the 36 truckloads of USDA commodities en route.


• 2 additional Human Services staff due in today and 11 tomorrow




Unmet needs




• Additional staff to meet Human Services requirements for Florida Area Command


• Cots, blankets, pillows, personal hygiene packets for shelterees




Future Operations




• Prepare to move to a hard facility


• Develop plan for utilization of additional staff


• Working to identify and source resources necessary to improve living conditions in shelters.

Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/5/05

Human Services Report #2




1900 9/5/05






Current Situation


• In conjunction with Hancock County, coordinated a plan to consolidate the Shelter population in well run shelters with sanitary conditions.


• Shelter population here at Stennis Space Center, originally 2500 persons, is now down to 150. FEMA has relocated to other states, and population will be down to zero by noon tomorrow.


• Initiated coordination with Harrison, Pearl River, and Jackson counties to begin consolidation of shelters in those counties.


Unmet needs


• Additional staff to meet Human Services requirements for Florida Area Command


• Cots, blankets, pillows, personal hygiene packets for shelterees


Future Operations


• Prepare to move to a hard facility


• Prepare to receive additional staff


• Working to identify and source resources necessary to improve living conditions in shelters.

Situation report from Mississippi for 9/4/05

This is my first situation report from the Florida Area Command in Hancock County, MS. I arrived on September 2. I will publish the rest of my situation reports daily for the next week.
Human Services Report



1700 9/4/05



Current Situation


• FEMA ROC in Atlanta advises no alternative arrangements for current population in shelter for at least 30 days.


• Working assigned Human Services missions


• Working with ARC to provide Baby food and cots to shelters in Harrison and Jackson Counties


• Receiving and inventorying Infant food items at LSA Stennis


• Coordinating staffing issues for expanded Human Services Branch



Unmet needs



• Additional staff to meet Human Services requirements for Florida Area Command



Future Operations



• Prepare to move to a hard facility


• Prepare to receive additional staff


• Working to identify and source resources necessary to improve living conditions in shelters.