unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (09/24/89)
DOD MEMORANDUM: HURRICANE HUGO
Posting Date: 09/24/89 Source: UNITEX Network, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Host: (201) 795-0733 ISSN: 1043-7932
Military personnel and relief supplies continue to be flown into
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the wake of Hurricane Hugo.
More than 700 military personnel, 61 vehicles and 3 OH-58
helicopters are currently deployed on St. Croix, VI. All forces
on the ground are from the 503rd Military Police Battalion and
Headquarters, 16th Military Police Brigade, both from Ft. Bragg,
NC.
In addition to U.S. Army elements, there are 4 Navy ships in
support of the Virgin Islands relief effort.
Additional Army forces from Ft. Hood, TX, Ft. Polk, LA, and Ft.
Leonard Wood, MO., will be landed today. The total military
strength on St. Croix will be approximately 1,100 soldiers by
the end of the day.
One-hundred and fifty military policemen are currently on patrol
in the two main cities on St. Croix, Frederiksted and
Christiansted, with U.S. Marshals, FBI agents and local police.
No violence has been reported on the island in the past 24
hours. Patrols will increase today throughout the island.
There is a critical shortage of drinking water on St. Croix. To
alleviate the shortage, the military has flown in one reverse
osmosis water purification unit (ROWPU) to St. Croix, with two
more soon to be enroute. Each will provide 600 gallons of
purified water per hour. Two Navy ships will dock at
Christiansted and Frederiksted today. They are capable of
converting 40,000 gallons of seawater daily. Additionally, the
portable landing dock, Gunston Hall, is scheduled to arrive at
St. Croix Saturday afternoon with a capability to produce
150,000 gallons of potable water daily.
Additional emergency supplies are scheduled to arrive on Air
Force aircraft. Included are electrical power generators,
portable air control towers, 200,000 Army field rations, and
plastic sheeting for roof and home repairs.
Specially trained personnel are also being flown in to operate
and maintain emergency equipment. Army Corps of Engineers teams
will be flown in to assess public utility and road damage.
One-hundred and thirty civilians were evacuated by Coast Guard
Cutter to Puerto Rico and flown from there to Homestead Air Force
Base, Florida.
It is presently expected that commercial air service will resume
today.
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