The NOAA Office of
Response and Restorations Disaster
Preparedness Program
recently celebrated
five years of helping
NOS, our partners and coastal communities
prepare for, respond to and recover
from both human caused and natural events.
Their critical mission includes emergency planning,
disaster coordination and recovery operations
from hurricanes, oil spills and other threats
to enhance preparation efforts.
The team
supports training for NOAA field responders and staff,
partners, and emergency managers
and ensures that response
plans are reviewed and tested regularly.
To manage
response activities,
the program oversees NOS’s Incident Management Team,
which provides
situational awareness and incident coordination
for any disaster
that threatens our mission
personnel and infrastructure.
Since 2017,
they have responded to over 25 major disasters,
including the COVID 19 pandemic and most recently,
Hurricane Ian.
To ensure
that commerce,
communities and natural resources
recover as quickly as possible,
the team coordinates
with federal, state, and local partners
to assist impacted areas with resources and expertise.
The DPP has supported many recovery operations,
including seven
such as Hurricane Ida, that have required long term
sustained engagement
with federal recovery coordinators.
I am grateful for their continued hard work
and contributions to help reduce disaster impacts.
As coastal disasters become more frequent and severe,
the need for timely
and accurate information has never been greater.
NOS and its programs
like the Disaster Preparedness Program
will continue to lead the way in science and
practice of preparedness.