Naval supply systems command supports hurricane Katrina relief efforts

Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history, causing unimaginable devastation and heartbreak throughout the Gulf Coast region. Across the Naval Supply Systems Command enterprise, personnel quickly responded providing operational logistics expertise and support to relief efforts. Here are reports from our activities who were involved in the outstanding work done by the Navy team.

COMFISCS Supports Hurricane Katrina Relief from Jacksonville and Norfolk

Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (COMFISCS) teams in Norfolk and Jacksonville have been doing all that they can to support ships deploying from Norfolk and coordinating relief efforts for Navy activities in Pensacola, Pascagoula, Gulfport, and New Orleans.

FISC Jacksonville has been aggressively supporting victims of the Gulf Coast region following the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. The team at FISCJ is coordinating logistics for all Navy forces and activities supporting Joint Task Force (JTF)-Katrina, and has military and civilian personnel from several commands providing 24/7 support.

FISCJ established a Command and Control Cell to coordinate regional requirements. Of primary concern to Navy Region South was getting ground communications established in New Orleans. In the Gulf Coast Region, FEMA requested MREs and cots for temporary personnel.

The FISCJ team executed 41 contracting requirements and modifications for Navy Region Southeast, Navy Region South and Commander, Fleet Forces Command afloat units.

FISCJ contracting personnel are coordinating husbandry type services at New Orleans, to directly enable the JTF--Katrina units to aid relief efforts.

Personnel in the Business Department are coordinating regional relief recovery and financial flow to correctly document and expedite payment of requirements.

Supply Management Department personnel are providing Logistics Support Center services for the growing JTF--Katrina, including preparing for ship loadouts at Mayport/Blount Island, and exercising household Storage In Transit (SIT) authority to appropriately store personal property for the hurricane affected regions.

Industrial Support Department personnel are training a mobile ATAC person to deploy to handle fleet retrograde, and are manning the Command Duty Office to provide coordination and policy guidance.

The Facilities and Fuel Operations Department is tracking all the monumental fuel replenishment requirements, and dispatched a 5,000-gallon tanker of diesel fuel to CBC Gulfport to ensure generator continuity while sourcing longer-term diesel supplies.

Detachment/partner site efforts include logistics flights from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth to New Orleans, LCAC and fleet freight from Panama City, and support to afloat units from Ingleside and Corpus Christi, Texas, and Pensacola, Fla., just to name a few.

CDR Jerry Rivas, Director of FISCJ's Supply Management Department, deployed to Gulfport as the logistics point of contact for the Region Southeast team, providing on-site expertise, assistance and support.

The other stateside FISCs stand ready to provide assistance to the FISC Norfolk and FISC Jacksonville teams as needed. Clearly there is much more to be done in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural catastrophes in U.S. history.