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