FORT BELVOIR, VA –
In 2019 alone, the U.S. was impacted by 6 hurricanes, causing over $50 billion in flood and wind damage. These storms displace millions of people, who may be in dire need of critical supplies.
Prepared to support relief operations beforehand and in the wake of these storms is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Hurricane Support Team.
“The DLA Hurricane support team is a force that is trained and on standby during hurricane season,” said Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Smith, DLA Distribution Hurricane Support Team senior noncommissioned officer in charge. “The purpose of the force is to respond in the event of a natural disaster in order to setup a mobile depot which will supply Federal Emergency Management Agency and state response efforts in support of hurricane damage.”
Although DLA’s primary mission is to provide effective and efficient worldwide support to warfighters, hurricane support team maintains readiness to deploy at a moment’s notice in times of natural disaster, thanks to training.
“The team receives FEMA Incident Support Base integrating with DLA Distribution Expeditionary civilian team members to train on ISB Operations,” said Smith. “Receiving training on 12 pieces of equipment, giving them the ability to launch 3 ISBs simultaneously.”
It has been forecasted that the 2020 hurricane season will be one of the most active seasons in 22 years of hurricane outlooks, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Demonstrating the importance of the hurricane support team readiness.
“As hurricane season gets more intense year after year, the team has had to adjust to accommodate,” said Smith. “The team has gone from a handful of members on Annual Tour orders in support, to a 12 to 24-member team on Active Duty for Special orders for 30-120 days.
“The biggest challenge the team has faced in the past is the short window of activation. For the past 3-years the program manager, Charlie Hughley, has hand- selected core team members and has strategically staged them at various DLA Distribution Centers. This strategy allows Distribution to utilize the reservists when they are not supporting a hurricane as well as allowing the reservist to respond within 48 hours of the demand signal from FEMA. Providing support at the ready for any call that they get in response to a natural disaster.”
While waiting for call, the hurricane support team does what it can to support the DLA distribution mission. According to Smith, during the 2020 hurricane season, while they await potential hurricane support, they have been providing emergency support at both DLA Distribution Susquehanna and DLA Distribution Norfolk. They have supported a complete inventory mission of 25 warehouses, containing over 16 million items, valued at almost half a billion dollars.
With over a month left in this year’s hurricane season, the DLA Hurricane Support Team remains on stand-by and poised to support those in need across the U.S. when natural disaster strikes.