FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Defense Logistics Agency made final preparations during a Hurricane Academics forum May 10 for what Colorado State University predicts will be a slightly below average hurricane season.
The event, now in its fourth year, drew together representatives from the Agency Synchronization and Operations Center, DLA major subordinate commands and deployment teams. DLA planners and liaison officers who directly support the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Northern Command and Army Corps of Engineers also participated.
DLA’s support for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief is coordinated by the ASOC at Fort Belvoir and ranges from commodity support for items like water and fuel to distribution and disposal services. Well-established ordering systems, long-standing agreements with other organizations and lessons learned from events like Hurricane Katrina have helped the agency finetune disaster support.
Support is provided through Defense Support of Civil Authorities processes and execution orders from the Defense Department that designate leading federal and military agencies, typically FEMA and NORTHCOM.
Joe Ahn, DLA’s planner for NORTHCOM, stressed that NORTHCOM supports civil authorities in only emergencies and when requested.
“Interagency coordination is the key to a DSCA operational success,” he added.
DLA support to FEMA is also guided by the Economy Act and Stafford Act and includes replenishing supplies at FEMA distribution centers and participation in training events such as the recent Eagle Rising exercise.
FEMA sends requests for DLA supplies and services to the ASOC as work orders known as mission assignments that address short-term needs to save lives and protect property. The agency has 19 pre-scripted mission assignments for items ranging from bottled water and meals to cots and generators, but actual requirements differ for each season and storm.
Rick Vanschoor of DLA Energy said the agency is also FEMA’s No. 1 source for fuel.
“Bottom line up front: It’s a capability to get a whole lot of fuel in a time-sensitive situation for FEMA first responders. It’s critical because it’s for life-saving capability,” he said, adding that DLA can have fuel in place within 48 hours of the fuel contract being activated.
Much of DLA’s hurricane support is provided by volunteers like those on DLA’s rapid deployment teams. The agency has three 13-person RDTs with supply chain, legal, contracting and information technology representatives ready to deploy within hours’ notice. RDTs deployed for hurricane support every year from 2016 to 2019 and are prepared for the upcoming season, said Bob Lesher, RDT program manager.
DLA Distribution also has almost 100 emergency essential civilians ready to deploy to process up to 250 trailers of supplies a day. Between September and October 2017, DLA Distribution processed almost 3,500 trailers to support FEMA’s response to hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.
“That’s 37 miles worth of trailers that we worked,” DLA Distribution’s John Heikkinen said.
DLA has provided disaster response in the U.S. and overseas. Many employees are eager to volunteer for such efforts, Vanschoor added.
“It builds morale because some of our employees have jobs where they don’t get to see the end product of what they do,” he said. “This gets them out of the office where they can see the results of their work firsthand.”