Photo By Catherine Carroll | Scott Cilley, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division’s Plans and...... read more read more
WINCHESTER, Va. – Although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division's primary mission is to provide support to the U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command across the Middle East and Central Asia, it is also an essential member of the Army Corps of Engineers’ support system for responding to natural disasters here at home through an internal partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division.
Partnership is critical during natural disaster support operations because it allows organizations to leverage their combined resources, expertise, and knowledge to respond more effectively and efficiently to the disaster. No single organization or agency can manage a large-scale natural disaster alone, and partnerships are essential to mobilize and coordinate a comprehensive response effort. This becomes even more crucial when considering the response needed in the event of nearly simultaneous major hurricanes.
As enduring partners in this effort, Scott Cilley, the Transatlantic Division’s Plans and Operations chief and Kimberly Adkins, the Current Operations chief, attended the 2023 Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division Emergency Management Community of Practice Workshop and Hurricane Tabletop Exercise at the South Atlantic Division’s headquarters in Atlanta, Apr. 17-21.
“The Army Corps of Engineers supports the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, during hurricanes as the designated lead agency for Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3 - Public Works and Engineering,” Adkins stated. “This means that the Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for coordinating and executing the federal government's response to support state and local agencies in restoring critical infrastructure and public services following a disaster, such as a hurricane.”
The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for providing temporary housing, debris removal, power restoration, and other critical infrastructure support. In addition to its ESF #3 responsibilities, the Army Corps of Engineers also provides other critical support functions, including technical assistance to state and local agencies, flood fighting assistance, and emergency response planning and training.
Working in conjunction with FEMA, state and local agencies, and other federal agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers helps ensure a coordinated and effective response to hurricanes and other disasters. By providing its expertise and resources, the Army Corps of Engineers helps to mitigate the impacts of disasters, support affected communities, and facilitate the return to normalcy.
The Army Corps of Engineers’ Readiness Support Center plays a vital role in the overall readiness. The Center, located in Mobile, Ala., facilitates the development, organization, and dissemination of learning tools and support services for the Army Corps of Engineers, Federal and State partners, and the private sector. Planning and facilitating tabletop exercises like this is one of their core competencies.
This year’s five-day workshop and exercise focused on the roles and responsibilities of the South Atlantic Division’s command and staff and Readiness and Contingency Operations, participating Plans and Operations and Emergency Operations Centers, regional Army Corps of Engineers’ districts, and the decision-making and protective actions taken by the South Atlantic Division, the effected districts, and the Army Corps of Engineers’ Enterprise in response to nearly simultaneous major hurricanes approaching and subsequently impacting the South Atlantic District’s geographic region.
The workshop's objectives included building cohesion, exercising response operations within the strategic environment, leveraging Army Corps of Engineers Enterprise capabilities when regional resources are depleted, refining and validating commanders’ decision points, refining the Regional Messaging program and information graphic, and discussing how to balance support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Defense while executing the Army Corps of Engineers’ authorities.
“The Transatlantic Division is tasked to provide support to the South Atlantic Division for disaster response operations,” Adkins explained. “As a part of that internal partnership, we participate in the annual workshop and tabletop exercises to help prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.”
Adkins further emphasized, “This event provides us with a thorough understanding of the priorities, requirements and potential support needs for the upcoming hurricane season. It helps us build partnerships with the other division and district staffs that we will be supporting and integrates and codifies our support role in disaster response operations.”
In addition to the Transatlantic Division’s personnel, other attendees included the Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, South Atlantic Division commanding general; Col. Matthew McCulley, South Atlantic Division deputy commander; Steve Hill, Army Corps of Engineers Director of Contingency Operations; members of the Readiness and Contingency Operations team, emergency Managers, ESF #3 team leads, and members of the South Atlantic Division’s Crisis Management Team, as well as representatives from FEMA Regions II and IV.
The workshop and tabletop exercise were an essential step in ensuring the South Atlantic Division is ready to respond to nearly simultaneous major hurricanes approaching and subsequently impacting their geographic region.
“This was an outstanding opportunity to strengthen our partnership with the South Atlantic Division as well as with FEMA and other participating agencies,” Cilley stated. “It provided a realistic hurricane scenario that involved a coordinated Interagency disaster response that affected citizens in Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands and Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Our planners watched the scenario unfold phase by phase and recorded the actions required.”
The exercise simulated conditions which would require TAD to engage and provide support to both FEMA as Assistant Team Leaders and to South Atlantic Division HQ as battle captains to help staff a 24-hour Emergency Operations Center.
“This annual training opportunity ensures we remain ready should the need to respond occur, Cilley said. “Partnerships are essential during disaster support operations because they enable us to work together more effectively and efficiently, ensure we can share critical information, and help us coordinate resources to provide a comprehensive response effort that meets the needs of affected communities,” Cilley emphasized. “The continued partnership between our divisions highlights everyone’s commitment to readiness and effective emergency management.”
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2023 15:44 |
| Story ID: | 443847 |
| Location: | WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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