EOC ensures JB MDL safety throughout Hurricane Sandy

Published Oct. 31, 2012
By 2nd Lt. Alexis McGee
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst personnel worked all hours of the night in the days leading up to Hurricane Sandy's arrival to ensure the safety of the service members and families who call JB MDL home.

JB MDL leadership began initial Emergency Operations Center coordination during a meeting Oct. 26.

The EOC is a center where mission-essential personnel from select base units meet to coordinate emergency response operations. The purpose of the EOC is to consolidate all mission-essential information in one place to best coordinate response.

"We activate the EOC with the appropriate number of emergency support function representatives to handle the storm," said Steve Robertson, chief of emergency management. "We stay here during the storm to ensure the safety and security of our personnel."

Both the Crisis Action Team and the EOC were fully activated during the hurricane. Service members and civilians alike combatted their sleepiness in the EOC to accomplish the mission and keep the base safe.

"The 'ride out team' rides out the storm so we don't unduly expose our personnel to the storm's impact," said Robertson of the select representatives who spent the night in the EOC conducting operations.

Units represented in the EOC ranged from the 87th Security Forces Squadron to the 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron, to name a few.

"Our main mission comprised ensuring all logistical support for inbound units, whether they were military or FEMA related," said Master Sgt. David Williamson, 87th LRS transportation motor pool noncommissioned officer in charge. "We facilitated these units whether it was reception, fuel support, generator support or bed-down support."

Material that entered the EOC included information such as power outages, road closures and conditions, downed power lines and various other emergency information.

Information was then disseminated to emergency responders, the base populous via the JB MDL Facebook page and to any associated units.

The EOC did not shut down when the hurricane passed; instead it continued operations to coordinate additional information regarding the storm that continued to funnel in.