Northcom Supports Response to Severe Midwest Weather

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., May 25, 2011 — At the request of the Fed­er­al Emer­gency Man­age­ment Agency, U.S. North­ern Com­mand offi­cials today acti­vat­ed their defense coor­di­nat­ing offi­cer and defense coor­di­nat­ing ele­ment for FEMA Region 7 and extend­ed those func­tions for FEMA Region 6 in sup­port of response efforts to the severe weath­er in the Mid­west.

U.S. Army North’s defense coor­di­nat­ing offi­cer and defense coor­di­nat­ing ele­ment for Region 6 ini­tial­ly were acti­vat­ed to sup­port flood relief in the South and have been extend­ed with the acti­va­tion of FEMA Region 7 to pro­vide assess­ment and coor­di­nate Defense Depart­ment assets as required in the Mid­west, offi­cials said. 

Defense coor­di­nat­ing offi­cers and defense coor­di­nat­ing ele­ments work close­ly with fed­er­al, state, trib­al and local offi­cials to deter­mine what unique Defense Depart­ment capa­bil­i­ties can assist in mit­i­gat­ing the effects of severe weather. 

Emer­gency pre­pared­ness liai­son offi­cers from U.S. Fleet Forces Com­mand, U.S. Air Forces North­ern and Marine Forces North will deploy to FEMA Region 7 to help the defense coor­di­nat­ing offi­cer assess and plan DOD sup­port of civ­il authorities. 

The Defense Depart­ment has capa­bil­i­ties that can save lives, as well as oth­er capa­bil­i­ties such as air­lift, med­ical and com­mu­ni­ca­tions sup­port and planning. 

North­com is the joint com­bat­ant com­mand formed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, ter­ror­ist attacks to pro­vide home­land defense and defense sup­port of civ­il authorities. 

Source:
U.S. Depart­ment of Defense
Office of the Assis­tant Sec­re­tary of Defense (Pub­lic Affairs) 

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