disaster relief

Aid Moving Through the Port of San Juan

Sept 29 - Crowley is transporting 100 fuel distribution trucks with 275,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 75,000 gallons of gasoline to support relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

The prime container operation at the Port of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is managed by a company called Crowley Maritime Corporation. Crowley’s Isla Grande terminal in San Juan incurred minor damage during Hurricane Maria. In the 11 days since, the media and social media have been abuzz with reports of thousands of containers sitting at the dock, waiting for trucks and truck drivers. One rumor says that the local union of truckers is conducting a job action to protest recent labor laws enacted by the PR government. Not true. Another rumor is that “someone” is hiring, or asking for volunteer truck drivers in the US to go to Puerto Rico. Not true.

Crowley has put out a number of press releases about their operation.

The domestic maritime industry, of which Crowley is a part, has responded to Hurricane Maria in a big way. The American Maritime Partnership reports 3,000 containers filled with goods were expedited and arrived in Puerto Rico ahead of the storm. U.S. carriers have moved approximately 9,500 containers of goods to the island after Maria; the Jones Act fleet deployed in Puerto Rico has the capacity to carry more than 4,000 containers per week to the island; and the largest U.S. container ship in the trade can carry enough cargo to fill 1,900 cargo planes.

Crowley Puerto Rico Services today announced that nearly all Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relief cargo that has arrived to date at its Isla Grande Terminal in Puerto Rico has been transported to FEMA receiving locations on the island by the company’s logistics group. [Sept 29, 2017]

Crowley and FEMA Accelerate Relief Aid from Terminal to Puerto Rico Communities

  • The port of San Juan was declared open on Sept. 23, at 8 a.m., by the Coast Guard. Crowley’s first barge was unloaded at 10 a.m. with 144 government relief loads.
  • As of Thursday, Sept. 28, Crowley has facilitated providing 1.3 million meals and 2.77 million liters of the meals and water that have arrived in San Juan.
  • FEMA has provided food and water to over 60 municipalities with the logistics and transportation assistance of Crowley.
  • Crowley has moved more than 700 government relief loads with 3,100 loads booked and 1,000 loads ready to leave the Port of Jacksonville.
  • Crowley’s barge El Rey is already en route with an anticipated arrival on Monday, Oct. 2, with a shipment of 100 fuel distribution trucks with 275,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 75,000 gallons of gasoline.
  • By Friday [Oct 6?], Crowley projects to have 4,100 commercial loads on its terminal ready for pickup containing a variety of needed products, including food, beverages, construction materials, clothing and much more.
  • Crowley is scheduled to move 272 emergency relief vehicles, including 140 fuel trucks, and 100 disaster recovery vehicles from Jacksonville to San Juan.

Crowley is not hiring truck drivers in Puerto Rico

It has come to our attention that false reports have been circulated stating Crowley is hiring truck drivers in Puerto Rico to deliver relief aid on the island.

While we commend all who are willing to support these efforts, Crowley must continue to focus its resources on the very important task of shipping relief aid to the island from the U.S. mainland.

Thank you to all who have reached out to us offering assistance.

Crowley Says On-Island Distribution Key to Getting Relief Supplies to Puerto Rico Residents [Sept 25, 2017]

  • Working with a variety of governmental agencies, Crowley has already taken bookings for more than 2,700 container loads of relief cargo to be delivered to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Croix.
  • Today [Sept 25], the logistics team dispatched 50 relief trucks to deliver relief supplies at various distribution centers around the island. These containers will be unloaded immediately and returned to Crowley for use in bringing more supplies to residents.
  • Crowley has also secured additional vessels to handle government and commercial cargo. Five new container deck barges with a combined capacity of more than 3,800 20-foot equivalent containers (TEUs) have been placed into service along with accompanying tugboats to tow them.

Crowley has quickly established a strong flow of food and aid cargo to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. We have more than 2,200 full container loads of relief and general cargo awaiting distribution at our Isla Grande terminal in San Juan. And we have six vessels carrying another 2,200 loads on the way.

Crowley Establishes Flow of Relief Cargo into Puerto Rico Following Hurricane Maria [Sept 22, 2017]

  • Crowley has four vessels loaded with a mix of relief and commercial cargo currently en route to the company’s Isla Grande terminal in San Juan, with two more scheduled to follow.
  • In total, these six vessels will bring in more than 2,200 full container loads of food and aid cargo, as well as commercial goods, to Puerto Rico.
  • In addition to these incoming barge loads, the company currently has more than 2,200 full container loads of food and aid cargo, as well as commercial goods, safely stored and awaiting distribution at its terminal now.

Sources

Prior Posts

Relief and Recovery Report for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands for Sept 29
Status Report from the Puerto Rican Government for Sept 29
Hurricane Assistance for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands [September 28]
September 27 Aid Update for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
September 26 [late evening] Puerto Rico planned to fail before Maria hit
September 26 [late evening] Relief and Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico
September 26 Hurricane Maria Relief News for Today
September 25 Puerto Rico versus Haiti

Hurricane Maria Relief Update for October 1

Frederiksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands-Local mail is delivered by the US Postal Service on the US Virgin Islands on September 29, 2017. Photo by Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Lots of news this morning so I am posting an update earlier than usual. This is as of about 2 pm EDT.

Highways

A U.S. Marine with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and a local resident work together to clear a tree from the main road as part of Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, Sept. 27, 2017. The 26th MEU is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, and local authorities in Puerto Rico with the combined goal of protecting the lives and safety of those in affected areas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alexis C. Schneider)

Airports and Seaports

A Coast Guard 26-foot cutter small boat crew scouts suitable locations for the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser to dock at Lime Tree Bay, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Sept. 28, 2017. Part of Surface Asset Group Alpha, Griesser is a fast response cutter that has been ferrying emergency managers and relief supplies including water, food, plywood and pet food between San Juan and the USVI since Hurricane Irma. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Zach Zubricki.)

FEMA- USVI: The U.S. Coast Guard continues to assess the remaining port in St. Croix, as all other ports are opened and deemed operational.

Search and Rescue

Frederiksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands-A US National Guardsmen looks for vegetarian meals at a Point of Distribution where emergency supplies are being given to residents impacted by Hurricane Maria at the Alexander Henderson School on September 29, 2017. Photo by Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

FEMA- Urban Search and Rescue teams working alongside local law enforcement searched 143 structures, covering 100 percent of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Water and Power

JUNCOS, Puerto Rico, Sept. 29, 2017 - Residents of Puerto Rico come to one of many distribution points around the island to collect water for drinking, cleaning and cooking. Paul McKellips/FEMA Photo

Department of Energy:

  • Puerto Rico: At least 5% of customers have had power restored. The airport, marine terminal, and several hospitals are back on grid power.
  • USVI: As of Friday, September 29, approximately 15% of customers on St. Thomas and 10% of customers on St. Croix have been restored, including critical acilities such as the airports and hospitals.
  • USVI: On St. Croix, storage at the Richmond tank has increased to a four-day water supply or 8.5 million gallons. The Richmond, Contentment and Concordia pump stations are on line. Water service continues to make its way slowly toward Frederiksted, as the system becomes pressurized. Water maintenance workers are surveying and repairing leaks daily.

Hospitals

Frederiksted, St. Croix-US Military medics load local residents with medical needs on a military plane out of the US Virgin Islands on September 29, 2017.
Photo by Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Department of Health and Human Services-

  • temporary medical site established at Centro Medico, an emergency and trauma center in San Juan where HHS medical teams have seen more than 245 patients
  • HHS today [Sept 30] will begin establishing two Federal Medical Stations sent from the Strategic National Stockpile to serve as temporary shelters for people with special medical needs.

Communications

Staff Sgt. Helmut Woodberry of the Illinois Air National Guard’s 126th Communications Flight works on a radio frequency control unit in a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability site at Muniz Air National Guard Base, Puerto Rico. The Air National Guard is working with many federal, territory and local agencies in response to Hurricane Maria. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Dan Heaton)

FEMA- USVI: St. Thomas has 41.8 percent of 55 cell towers operational; St. Croix has 21.4 percent of 42 cell towers operational; and St. John is still conducting operations for cell tower coverage.

Personnel

    Agents with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, Black Hawk crew distribute much-needed supplies to residents of Puerto Rico as they conduct post Hurricane Maria humanitarian operations September 27, 2017. U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo by Rob Brisley

  • Nevada National Guard- 12
  • Oregon Air National Guard- 8
  • Stars and Stripes- Of the Puerto Rico Guard’s 8,000 members, some 2,750 are activated.
  • Department of Health and Human Services- More than 500 HHS personnel from the National Disaster Medical System and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps are deployed to Puerto Rico

New Deliveries

    Aerial porters load cargo onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in preparation for Hurricane Maria relief efforts, Sep. 30, 2017, at Travis Air Force Base, Calf. The aircraft from March Air Reserve Base, Calif., will deliver a 65-member Contingency Response Element to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to establish command and control of the airfield and provide aerial port and maintenance support during Hurricane Maria relief efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Liliana Moreno/Released)

  • The Coast Guard Cutter Venturous delivered fuel and water to Vieques, Puerto Rico, September 30, 2017. The crew delivered a total of 3,000 gallons of water, 3,800 gallons of diesel fuel and ice to the local community.
  • U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Elm deliver 28,000 lbs of supplies in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017. The supplies were half food and half water.

Navy and Coast Guard Response

Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Nolan, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Elm, a 225-foot Keeper Class buoy tender homeported at the Sector Field Office at Fort Macon, North Carolina, discusses the plan of the day with Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Montgomery, a deck crewmember aboard the cutter, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at Coast Guard Sector San Juan, Puerto Rico. The crew of the Elm delivered 28,000 lbs of relief supplies Sept. 30, half food - half water, to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael De Nyse)

Sources

Prior Posts

Relief and Recovery Report for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands for Sept 29
Status Report from the Puerto Rican Government for Sept 29
Hurricane Assistance for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands [September 28]
September 27 Aid Update for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
September 26 [late evening] Puerto Rico planned to fail before Maria hit
September 26 [late evening] Relief and Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico
September 26 Hurricane Maria Relief News for Today
September 25 Puerto Rico versus Haiti

Relief and Recovery Report for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands for Sept 29

Readers are invited to read the official government data, released on line for the first time this evening here: Status Report from the Puerto Rican Government for Sept 29. Spanish readers can follow the link to the original, which offers a menu at the top that allows locating shelters, supermarkets, food distribution points, etc.

Highways

Airports and Seaports

Per Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan [Sept 29, 2017]

  • Eight of Puerto Rico’s nine airports are open
  • PR: five of six priority seaports are open

Search and Rescue

Areas where search and rescue teams have been active

Water and Power


Department of Energy:

  • Approximately 95% of customers in Puerto Rico remain without power.
  • PR - The airport and marine terminals have been re-energized.
  • PR - the Central San Juan and Palo Seco generation units are operating
  • PR - Much of the urban area of Mayagüez is energized by the hydro-gas plant that is located within the municipality.
  • USVI - The majority of the 55,000 customers across the USVI remain without power due to impacts from Maria and Irma.
  • USVI - There is limited electricity distribution on St. Thomas
  • USVI - St. John crews are working in the Cruz Bay area planting new poles from the roundabout toward the Myrah Keating Smith Health Clinic.
  • USVI - Work continued on St. Croix Thursday to restore service to additional portions of downtown Christiansted and Frederiksted
  • USVI - The Randolph Harley power plant is ready to run and awaiting the transmission system repairs.
  • USVI - DOE-WAPA has deployed 25 linemen and equipment to aid with the island’s power restoration efforts. DOE-WAPA equipment, including bucket trucks and digger derricks, is enroute from Florida to St. Thomas.

Hospitals

Per Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan [Sept 29, 2017]

  • PR: One hospital is deemed fully operational
  • PR: 59 hospitals are functional, though partially degraded
  • PR: four hospitals are closed
  • PR: five more hospitals are still undergoing assessment

Communications


National Guard - Twelve Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC) systems are operational and aiding Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with 10 more assets in the process of being set up.

Federal Communications Commission:

  • PR - 89.3% of cell sites out of service
  • PR - 27% of cell sites in San Juan County are in operation
  • PR - No other counties have more than 25% operating.
  • PR - 29 of 78 counties have no cell sites in operation
  • VI - St. Thomas has 58.2% of its cell sites out of service.
  • VI - St. Croix has 78.6% of its cell sites out of service.
  • VI - St. John has 100.0% of its cell sites out of service.

Personnel

The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departs Naval Station Norfolk to support hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico. The ship is expected to arrive on or after October 3. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brittany Tobin/Released)
  • Per Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan [Sept 29, 2017] We have currently 4,500 troops – it might be up to 4,600 – on the ground from all services and all components. [on Puerto Rico]
  • PR: Mississippi National Guard: 259 soldiers and airmen
  • PR: South Carolina Army National Guard: 150 engineering troops, 60 vehicles
  • PR: USNS Comfort: USNS Comfort departed Naval Station Norfolk with over 800 Navy medical personnel and support staff with the medical treatment facility (MTF), and over 70 civil service mariners.
  • VI: 602nd Area Support Medical Company: 90

New Deliveries

Citizen-Soldiers from the Puerto Rico National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility distributed water and food to the community of Orocovis, Sept. 29. Members of the community assisted the Soldiers to download the supplies, while the municipal police transported the supplies in their official vehicles to the shelter. (Photo by Sgt. José Ahiram Díaz-Ramos, PRNG-PAO/Released)
  • Puerto Rico National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility distributed water and food to the community of Orocovis, Sept. 29
  • Five barges are scheduled to arrive in Puerto Rico between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5 with 2.5 million liters of water, 3 million meals, two generators

Navy and Coast Guard Response

Coast Guard relief efforts
  • The U.S. Navy ships currently operating around Puerto Rico include the USS KEARSARGE, USS OAK HILL, USS WASP and the USNS SUPPLY.
  • U.S. Marines and Navy sailors completed nine medical evacuation missions, distributed approximately 150,000 pounds of relief supplies and cargo, and cleared three miles of roads yesterday [Sept 28].

Sources

Prior Posts

Status Report from the Puerto Rican Government for Sept 29
Hurricane Assistance for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands [September 28]
September 27 Aid Update for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
September 26 [late evening] Puerto Rico planned to fail before Maria hit
September 26 [late evening] Relief and Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico
September 26 Hurricane Maria Relief News for Today
September 25 Puerto Rico versus Haiti