As Hurricane Dorian heads toward Florida, President Donald Trump is sending help there, as well. And according to The Washington Examiner, it includes equipment and personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“Customs and Border Protection is ready to respond with resources and personnel as part of our mission to provide vital services to the trade community and traveling public, and to assist our federal, state, and local partners with life-saving services, distribution, and shelter security, and other essential FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] response and recovery mission tasking,” CBP Region IV lead field coordinator Diane J. Sabatino said in a press release.
Supporting recovery efforts
“Our foremost concern,” Sabatino continued, “is for the safety of those in harm’s way, and our teams of front-line federal officers and agents are prepared to support response and recovery efforts with unique capabilities and resources.”
The release stressed that CBP’s “highest priorities during a hurricane are to promote life-saving and life-sustaining activities, the safe evacuation of people leaving the impacted area, the maintenance of public order, the prevention of the loss of property to the extent possible, and the speedy recovery of the region.”
Sabatino was interviewed by Fox News on Sunday, where she offered more details on what her agency will be doing.
“CBP has a very comprehensive mission, which makes us very unique in our ability to respond to a catastrophic event like a hurricane. We have a lot of assets, including aviation assets, that are up usually in the air aftermath of the storm providing critical imagery back to entities like FEMA for damage assessment but also search and rescue missions with our partners in the U.S. Coast Guard,” she said.
“But we also have urban search and rescue teams,” Sabatino noted, explaining that they would support first responders and local law enforcement.
“On our way!”
Sabatino went on to say that in addition to the U.S. mainland, CBP is assisting those in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well.
On Our Way!! #ThursdayMotivation CBP aircraft deploying this morning to assist @femaregion2 after #Dorian passed through the #USVI, Culebra, and Vieques. #AMO pic.twitter.com/O5gYsmRBs5
— CBP Caribbean (@CBPCaribbean) August 29, 2019
For his part, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has declared a state of emergency.
“It’s important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely,” DeSantis said last week. “Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water, and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster.”
Meanwhile, President Trump canceled a trip to Poland so that he could monitor the situation more closely, opting to instead send Vice President Mike Pence on his behalf.
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