Ready, set…

Coast Survey’s Rapid Maritime Response assets for Hurricane Isaac are now in place, and are ready to move in when the storm moves on.
The teams will search for underwater debris and other dangers to navigation in port areas, to speed the resumption of shipping in areas impacted by the storm. A rapid response — that gives Coast Guard officials vital information on the condition of ship channels — reduces economic losses in maritime trade, reduces potential disruptions in energy supplies when ports are serving energy providers and oil rigs, and keeps mariners safe. (For more, see Coast Survey Prepares Rapid Maritime Response for Tropical Storm Isaac.)

Navigation response team 4 (NRT4), a 3-person team who had been conducting surveys in Galveston, arrived in Lafayette, Louisiana, yesterday. They brought their 28’ foot Sea Ark and state-of-the-art survey equipment with them, and are already working with survey specialists at Coast Survey headquarters, laying out potential survey tracks based on initial indications of priorities from Coast Guard officials.
NRT2 trailered their boat from where they had been surveying on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, and are now with NRT1 in Panama City (in Florida’s panhandle), ready to respond to requests for assistance from Captains of the Port in Alabama or Mississippi. They can also deploy to Louisiana, if needed.
The NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations / National Geodetic Survey remote sensing planes are “response ready” with pre-planned flight lines for aerial surveying of coastal areas hit with storm surge. The King Air is in Austin, Texas, and the Twin Otter is relocating to Mobile, Alabama.

NRT4 brought their boat and state-of-the-art survey equipment to Lafayette, Louisiana, yesterday.

NOAA navigation manager Michael Henderson (right) works with Billy Sasser, Dept. of Homeland Security’s maritime security liaison to the Florida emergency operations center. Henderson has spent the last four days working with state and federal officials as part of Florida’s State Emergency Response Team.

Chett Chaisson, of Port Fourchon, took this photo this morning at the Golden Meadow Flood Lock.

2 Replies to “Ready, set…”

  1. That is great guys happy you are ready to respond but….. You forgot to tell the lay people what value this response is as part of the recovery effort from the storm. Please tell the masses what it is that the survey teams do and why it is important to have them in position for immediate response.

    1. You are absolutely correct, Christopher. We had explained it several days ago, in an earlier blog, but we need to repeat it for new readers. I’ve added a short paragraph to the beginning of the post. Thanks for keeping this blogger on her toes! – DF

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *