11-6-2012 Portland NIMO Success Story

    The Portland NIMO team was ordered to assist with Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday afternoon October 30^th.  The team was originally ordered to Lakehurst, New Jersey, an order that changed to Albany, New York in support of the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  There was difficulty integrating a team into a very busy EOC so the ESF4 in Albany, along with FEMA, determined there was a more fitting mission in New York City. 
     The team moved to Brooklyn, New York to the Office of Emergency Management and was tasked with assisting the Debris Removal Task Force.  Task Force Leader John Scrivani had some familiarity with Incident Management Teams and was happy to have the help. "Until you got here," he says, "I was a Task Force Leader without a task force!"

L to R: Debris Removal Task Force Leader John Scrivani and PDX NIMO Plans Section Chief Nick Giannettino.

     Scrivani says NIMO has provided structure and coordination to what was a critical piece of the recovery picture – collection and removal of debris from all five boroughs of New York City.  "Hurricane Sandy left not only enormous damage across New York, but a lot of debris associated with that damage.  My job, with the assistance of NIMO, is to find assets to help in the clean-up effort from the Army Corp of Engineers, the US Navy, the National Guard and dozens of other agencies and create a plan to coordinate, track the work they do." 

     Since their arrival on November 4, 2012, Portland NIMO's seven command and general staff members have assisted with creating a coordination plan that includes contact information, 215's to track resources & a safety plan. The team has also been charged with creating a Daily Report for NYC Mayor Bloomberg's office to ensure he knows what assets are helping and what progress is being made in all 5 boroughs. In New York City, tracking numbers accurately for FEMA and the Mayor's office to report is important, and NIMO has been charged with collection and display of the data. The team also helping to develop maps with the overlays that include location of temporary debris sites, staging areas and other information to assist in coordination and tracking of resources. 

L to R: Debris Removal Task Force Leader John Scrivani , PDX NIMO IC Bill Hahnenberg& NIMO Logistics Section Chief Rich Rusk work on documents for the planning meeting.

     NIMO is also assisting in tracking and displaying the thousands of  pieces of equipment pouring in to assist the City with debris removal, to help OEM ensure that every piece is utilized where it is most needed and will do the most good.  Longer range Team efforts are to coordinate with the US Army Corp of Engineers. Within the next few days command of the project will transfer to the Corp which will implement large scale contracts for debris removal.