NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is proud to welcome two NOAA Corps officers to its Emergency Response Division. These officers bring specialized skills in aviation and fisheries to deepen the support that OR&R provides to coastal regions.

LT Patrick Lawler has stepped into the role of Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) for Texas and southwest Louisiana. In this critical position, he serves as a lead advisor to the U.S. Coast Guard during environmental emergencies. Lawler is an experienced aviator, previously based in Lakeland, Florida with NOAA's Aircraft Operations Center. He hit the ground running this past October, deploying to a fuel oil spill in Galveston, Texas within his first two weeks on the job. Lawler’s strong aviation background will enhance OR&R’s aerial observation capabilities during incident response.

LTJG Peter "PJ" LeBel joins the team as the Regional Response Officer (RRO) for the Gulf Coast. His arrival fills a key vacancy, ensuring support for NOAA SSCs in the Gulf and Southeast as well as additional mission areas within OR&R, including responder safety training and equipment. LeBel recently completed his first sea tour in the Gulf of America aboard the Oregon II. Now stationed at NOAA’s Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Alabama, LeBel brings a wealth of knowledge of NOAA National Marine Fisheries and is a qualified NOAA diver.