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Corps provides emergency support in aftermath of Kentucky ice storm

Published Feb. 5, 2009
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LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky’s storm emergency response continues to be a priority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  A combined disaster assistance team including Corps employees from Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, St. Louis, Baltimore and the Great Lakes and Ohio River region are working in partnership with the Commonwealth of Kentucky and FEMA to provide industrial-size generators to power critical facilities and to assist in clearing debris from roadways.

“It is a huge team effort and many Corps employees from across the nation have unified to support Kentucky in their power and road clearing needs,” said Louisville District Corps of Engineers Commander Colonel Keith Landry who is operating from the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort.

USACE contractors working along side of FEMA contractors and Kentucky State contractors are installing the generators. The current work calls for reestablishing or initiating action to get heat and power to locations that the State has identified as shelters. So far, more than 100 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals, shelters and nursing homes are in operation and more are being installed daily across the Commonwealth.

“This ice storm is personal for the Louisville District – not only because we have expertise to provide an emergency service- most of our 1,200 employees live in Kentucky and we are doing our best to take care of our neighbors, our homes and our families,” said Landry.

“It is because of the great teamwork provided by all that we are able to make progress and recover from the storm.”

At the annual State of the Commonwealth address on Wednesday, Governor Steve Beshear recognized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's contributions to the ice storm relief effort.  Great Lakes and Ohio Rivers Division Commander Brigadier General John Peabody stood alongside FEMA Acting Administrator Nancy Ward, the State Adjutant General Major General Edware Tonini, and State Emergency Management Coordinator Brigadier General John Hertzell as the Governor praised their team efforts.

"It was a great honor to represent the nearly 150 Corps of Engineer professionals who are working so hard alongside FEMA and Kentucky's state and local authorities to provide relief," General Peabody said.  "We remain committed to providing all required resources to help the people of Kentucky."

Generator Mission

Corps of Engineer teams are assessing the needs to the areas affected by this winter storm and are installing generators each day. The Corps has brought in additional teams to speed up generator installation, as requested by FEMA and Kentucky officials. Currently, there are 40 USACE generator installation teams with another 10 FEMA teams, working in shifts around the clock throughout the Commonwealth.

Generators of various sizes have been arriving in Kentucky from FEMA and contractors since Friday, Jan. 30.  They are being received at Sabre Army Heliport, located on Fort Campbell.

The Corps is supporting the mission to provide generators for critical infrastructure including hospitals, sewage plants, prisons, nursing homes and shelters throughout the Commonwealth.

Kentucky sets the priority for these facilities and makes a request to FEMA for power assistance. FEMA forwards the request to the Corps which sends out a Power Assessment Team to gather data regarding the amount of voltage required by a particular facility.

Once an assessment of a facility is complete, the Corps and its contractors install, service and maintain the generators to ensure they are meeting the needs of the facility, the Commonwealth and the citizens of Kentucky.

Debris clearing mission

The Corps of Engineers is working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, to help move debris from roadways. Currently, there are 25 eight-man Corps contracted clearing crews working in 21 western Kentucky counties working with trucks and power saws in the areas identified by the Commonwealth as most affected by the winter storms. The primary mission of the Debris teams is to open up the roadways in the affected areas so vehicles can pass safely. Presently, all major roads in the hard-hit western part of Kentucky have at least one lane open.

“The Corps of Engineers is committed to providing whatever support is needed to FEMA, State and Local officials and the citizens throughout Kentucky affected by this winter storm,” said Landry.

-###-

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District civil works program encompasses 75,500 square miles of the lower Ohio River basin in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. The Corps operates 20 lakes and 14 navigation structures. Its mission includes real estate transactions, flood reduction, regulatory activities, disaster response and mobilization readiness. The Corps plans, designs and constructs Department of Defense military facilities in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan. The District serves as Design and Construction Agent for the Army Reserve and as the Programs and Design Manager for the Air Force. The District’s environmental program includes the military boundaries and West Virginia.


Release no. 09-002

News Releases (Hidden - Presorted LRD list)

Corps provides emergency support in aftermath of Kentucky ice storm

Published Feb. 5, 2009
PRINT | E-MAIL

LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky’s storm emergency response continues to be a priority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  A combined disaster assistance team including Corps employees from Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, St. Louis, Baltimore and the Great Lakes and Ohio River region are working in partnership with the Commonwealth of Kentucky and FEMA to provide industrial-size generators to power critical facilities and to assist in clearing debris from roadways.

“It is a huge team effort and many Corps employees from across the nation have unified to support Kentucky in their power and road clearing needs,” said Louisville District Corps of Engineers Commander Colonel Keith Landry who is operating from the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort.

USACE contractors working along side of FEMA contractors and Kentucky State contractors are installing the generators. The current work calls for reestablishing or initiating action to get heat and power to locations that the State has identified as shelters. So far, more than 100 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals, shelters and nursing homes are in operation and more are being installed daily across the Commonwealth.

“This ice storm is personal for the Louisville District – not only because we have expertise to provide an emergency service- most of our 1,200 employees live in Kentucky and we are doing our best to take care of our neighbors, our homes and our families,” said Landry.

“It is because of the great teamwork provided by all that we are able to make progress and recover from the storm.”

At the annual State of the Commonwealth address on Wednesday, Governor Steve Beshear recognized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's contributions to the ice storm relief effort.  Great Lakes and Ohio Rivers Division Commander Brigadier General John Peabody stood alongside FEMA Acting Administrator Nancy Ward, the State Adjutant General Major General Edware Tonini, and State Emergency Management Coordinator Brigadier General John Hertzell as the Governor praised their team efforts.

"It was a great honor to represent the nearly 150 Corps of Engineer professionals who are working so hard alongside FEMA and Kentucky's state and local authorities to provide relief," General Peabody said.  "We remain committed to providing all required resources to help the people of Kentucky."

Generator Mission

Corps of Engineer teams are assessing the needs to the areas affected by this winter storm and are installing generators each day. The Corps has brought in additional teams to speed up generator installation, as requested by FEMA and Kentucky officials. Currently, there are 40 USACE generator installation teams with another 10 FEMA teams, working in shifts around the clock throughout the Commonwealth.

Generators of various sizes have been arriving in Kentucky from FEMA and contractors since Friday, Jan. 30.  They are being received at Sabre Army Heliport, located on Fort Campbell.

The Corps is supporting the mission to provide generators for critical infrastructure including hospitals, sewage plants, prisons, nursing homes and shelters throughout the Commonwealth.

Kentucky sets the priority for these facilities and makes a request to FEMA for power assistance. FEMA forwards the request to the Corps which sends out a Power Assessment Team to gather data regarding the amount of voltage required by a particular facility.

Once an assessment of a facility is complete, the Corps and its contractors install, service and maintain the generators to ensure they are meeting the needs of the facility, the Commonwealth and the citizens of Kentucky.

Debris clearing mission

The Corps of Engineers is working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, to help move debris from roadways. Currently, there are 25 eight-man Corps contracted clearing crews working in 21 western Kentucky counties working with trucks and power saws in the areas identified by the Commonwealth as most affected by the winter storms. The primary mission of the Debris teams is to open up the roadways in the affected areas so vehicles can pass safely. Presently, all major roads in the hard-hit western part of Kentucky have at least one lane open.

“The Corps of Engineers is committed to providing whatever support is needed to FEMA, State and Local officials and the citizens throughout Kentucky affected by this winter storm,” said Landry.

-###-

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District civil works program encompasses 75,500 square miles of the lower Ohio River basin in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. The Corps operates 20 lakes and 14 navigation structures. Its mission includes real estate transactions, flood reduction, regulatory activities, disaster response and mobilization readiness. The Corps plans, designs and constructs Department of Defense military facilities in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan. The District serves as Design and Construction Agent for the Army Reserve and as the Programs and Design Manager for the Air Force. The District’s environmental program includes the military boundaries and West Virginia.


Release no. 09-002