Begin Disaster Recovery Operations

A team of Seabees departed Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport (MI) at 0100 local, September 17th, for Pensacola (FL). There, they were to establish a command center for disaster recovery operations.

Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 spent the night of September 16th loading trucks with communications equipment and tools to assist with initial recovery operations. NMCB 1 received the order to deploy 1700 and began preparations for the trip. Less than eight hours later, the first contingent, more than 40 Seabees, departed for NAS Pensacola.

"Our Seabees really came through and completed the preparations in record time," said Lt. Cmdr. Scot Sanders, NMCB 1 operations officer.

"We deployed a reconnaissance team, a disaster recovery team and a group to establish the on-scene command post at Naval Air Station Pensacola for Rear Adm. Wayne Shear from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) in Washington," said Lt. j.g. Ryan Carey, of NMCB 1’s operations team. "Shear will be the on-scene commander for recovery operations in the area."

"Pensacola base officials have estimated the damage on the three military bases at more than $100 million," Carey said. "We have been told that more than 20 percent of the windows on base have been blown out, and all of the roofs have damage. There was also severe flooding. Health and safety is the major concern at this time."

A team of 115 Seabees from NMCB 1 has been selected to depart Gulfport September 18. No time for their return has been decided.

"The combined teamwork of the 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, the 20th Seabee Readiness Group and NMCB 1 ensured that the Seabees were able to respond in very short order to make a difference in support of an extremely important mission," added NMCB 1 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Louis V. Cariello.

(ANN salutes Journalist 1st Class (SW) Dennis J. Herring, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 Public Affairs)

FMI: www.navy.mil