Hurricane Harvey: Pittsburgh Emergency Power Team Activated

Published Aug. 25, 2017
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District has begun prepositioning emergency power assets in Texas as Hurricane Harvey approaches landfall later this evening.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District has begun prepositioning emergency power assets in Texas as Hurricane Harvey approaches landfall later this evening.

PITTSBURGH – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun prepositioning emergency power assets in Texas as Hurricane Harvey approaches landfall later this evening.

The Army Corps’ Pittsburgh District manages the national emergency power contract which deals with providing temporary power to critical infrastructure during times of natural and man-made disasters.

 “Our task is to support FEMA and the State of Texas,” said Dave Bishop, Pittsburgh District temporary power emergency program manager. “We do this by installing generators at critical public facilities like hospitals, water treatment plants, emergency centers, fire and police departments and anything that the state says is critical to the life, safety and health of the people of Texas.”

The Pittsburgh District will act as the Emergency Operations Center for the hurricane response, coordinating the nation’s deployment of power experts, the assessment of critical power needs and the installation of generators.

Additionally, the district’s emergency and preparedness team of 16 critical power experts has deployed to the area, one of seven teams available nationwide to respond to emergency power needs during disasters.

Currently, only the Pittsburgh team is pre-positioned for the storm but additional assets are standing by.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pittsburgh District is prepared to respond as part of the federal government’s unified national response to disasters and emergencies. 

Because of its unique mission, USACE has many subject matter experts in areas such as Emergency Management, Flood Risk Management, landslides, construction, Urban Search and Rescue, oceanography, hydrology and hydraulics, and engineering fields that respond when needed. 

For more about the role of the corps during an emergency please go to this link: http://www.usace.army.mil/Media/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheet-Article-View/Article/475476/emergency-response/

For media inquiries, please contact the Public Affairs Office at (412)395-7500 or Email: celrp-pa@usace.army.mil.

 

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Contact
Jeff Hawk
412-395-7500/01/02
412-713-4626 (cell)
celrp-pa@usace.army.mil
412-395-7503 (fax)
1000 Liberty Avenue

Release no. 17-028