OR&R Staff Deployed for Hurricane Florence Response
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 — As Hurricane Florence continues to impact North Carolina and South Carolina throughout Friday, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is beginning to deploy personnel on scene to provide NOAA scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard.
OR&R personnel will focus on pollution-related assistance — though responders will likely not be able to assess the full scope of the storm’s impacts until next week at the earliest. In previous hurricanes, NOAA has assisted the U.S. Coast Guard with information management, derelict vessels, oil spills, hazardous material releases, and marine debris.
In addition to household hazardous materials, commercial oil, and other materials, the area of impact has a significant number of waste lagoons associated with the agricultural industry which are also a pollution concern. The Environmental Protection Agency has identified 40 Superfund sites, oil sites, and other facilities that pose a pollution risk.
OR&R is expecting to be supporting three command posts, though the mission and the response needs are still evolving. To stay up to date on Hurricane Florence’s movement, visit the National Hurricane Center or the Hurricane Florence QuickLook.
For further information contact Doug.Helton@noaa.gov.