USACE Transatlantic Division supports Typhoon Mawar disaster relief

WINCHESTER, Va. – A staff member assigned to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division was activated and sent to Guam from June until July to assist FEMA, federal partners and territorial officials’ response to the typhoon which caused significant impacts to essential services throughout portions of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, including water, energy and transportation.

Kim Adkins, who serves as the Transatlantic Division’s chief of current operations, acted as the Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3 (public works and engineering) Team Leader-the senior USACE civilian position on island for response operations.

“USACE was tasked with the mission execution for temporary emergency power, temporary roofing, and debris removal,” Adkins explained.

As part of her duties as ESF #3 Team Leader, Adkins had a myriad of responsibilities. They included evaluating missions, scoping missions, ensuring the proper resources were deployed to meet the mission, and providing oversight.

“We were constantly evaluating the needs of those impacted by the storm,” she said. “And, working with FEMA and the Territory of Guam, we were able to make a significant difference to the community.”

During her tenure there Adkins and team were able to oversee several critical response missions. These included the installation of 99 generators at critical public facilities throughout the island of Guam. This ensured critical services (such as hospitals, the Port Authority, and the local judicial center) were maintained while primary power was being restored to the island.

Another mission was the “installation of temporary metal roofs to qualifying residents whose roofs on their primary residences were damaged in the storm. A third mission included the removal, sorting and final disposition of all storm-related debris.

“It’s an absolute honor to be invited into these communities after such a devastating event and assist with restoring their infrastructure,” said Adkins.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a major Army command with a broad set of missions and capabilities. One of its missions is to provide assistance, within its authorities, when natural disasters or other emergencies occur.

The Transatlantic Division provides engineering solutions for our mission partner’s toughest full spectrum challenges in one of the most complex construction environments in the world that includes 21 nations stretching from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia. The organization has oversight of well over $5 billion in projects throughout the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, as well as dedicated support to the U.S. Special Operations Command.