It is difficult to provide information about the Federal Government’s relief efforts following the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Different agencies provide updates on different schedules. On occasion, the information provided conflicts. We try to be as accurate as possible.
UPDATED SEPT 28 2017 at 10:30 pm
Please understand that interviews with individuals which are appearing in the media may not reflect the current conditions at that location. In addition, the interviewee may not understand the roles played by various government relief agencies or may provide an false narrative.
Lt. Gen. Buchanan is scheduled to arrive later today in Puerto Rico and is expected to link with FEMA and Puerto Rico officials to lead U.S. Northern Command’s efforts in response and recovery. Previously, RDML Jeffrey Hughes, the Expeditionary Strike Group 2 commander, was USNORTHCOM’s senior officer leading U.S. Northern Command’s efforts in support of FEMA in the Joint Operating Area. USNORTHCOM continues 24-hour operations, supporting FEMA in the areas of logistics, commodity distribution, and hospital sustainment.
together to offload food delivered by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter
Venturous at a marina near Ponce, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. (U.S.Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael De Nyse)
Highways
NEW
Airports and Seaports
Coast Guard 09/28/2017 11:06 AM EDT
- PR ports open without restrictions: 4
- PR ports open with restrictions: 6
- VI ports open without restrictions: 8
- VI ports open with restrictions: 2
FEMA rpt 9/28/2017:
- PR: The FAA restored full Air Traffic Control (ATC) services to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan
- PR: limited ATC services to Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla
- PR: more than a dozen commercial passenger flights per day at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport
- VI: Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix remains open to military aircraft
- VI: Cyril E. King Airport St. Thomas had been opened for limited commercial aircraft
Search and Rescue
FEMA rpt 9/28/2017:
- FEMA US&R task forces saved or assisted 843 individuals and five pets, while searching over 2,600 structures.
- FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams have accessed 90 percent of Puerto Rico
Water and Power
Department of Energy:
- According to Ricardo Ramos, Executive Director of PREPA, 4% of customers have had their electricity restored as of 4:30 PM EDT, Wednesday, September 27.
- PR: Much of the urban area of Mayagüez is energized by the hydro-gas plant that is located within the municipality.
- PR: As of the morning of September 25, Ramos reported that the Central San Juan and Palo Seco generation units are operating, allowing PREPA to energize transmission serving portions of Bayamón and Monacillos
- VI: There is limited electricity distribution on St. Thomas.
- VI: St. John crews are working in the Cruz Bay area planting new poles from the roundabout toward the Myrah Keating Smith Health Clinic.
- VI: Key water processing facilities are providing potable water in St. Thomas and St. John and the number of energized pump stations continues to expand, providing water to more areas.
- VI: Work continued on St. Croix Wednesday to restore service to additional portions of downtown Christiansted and Frederiksted.
Hospitals
FEMA rpt 9/28/2017:
- more than half of dialysis centers in Puerto Rico are open and accessible for patients
- PR: FEMA completed assessments of 47 of 69 hospitals in Puerto Rico with 44 of these operational
- Medical evacuations for dialysis patients continued to be coordinated with the Virgin Islands Department of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services counterparts.
Department of Defense:
- 47 of the 69 hospitals on the island have been assessed
- The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort is sailing from Norfolk to provide aid and should arrive next week.
- As of early September 25, Governor Ricardo Rosselló confirmed that the Hima San Pablo Hospital has electrical power.
Communications
FCC:
- PR: 90.3 percent of all cell sites are out of service.
- PR: 29 of 78 counties have no working cell sites.
- VI: 67 percent of all cell sites are out of service.
- VI: In a change from yesterday, St. John now has no cell sites in operation. St. Croix has 76.2 percent of its sites out of service while St. Thomas has 54.5 percent down.
- PR television: WIPR in San Juan, PR and WIPM in Mayaguez, PR are reported as being out of service
- PR radio: WQBS, WCMN-FM, WMIO, WPRM-FM, WNEL, WPRP, WIPR-FM, WZAR and WUNO are reported as being out of service
Personnel
FEMA rpt 9/28/2017:
- FEMA: 600 in PR and USVI
- Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service: 17 chainsaw teams (34 individuals) and one Incident Management Team (23 individuals) in PR
New Deliveries
FEMA rpt 9/28/2017:
- Puerto Rico established eleven regional staging areas, serving 77 communities.
- U.S. Virgin Islands established 17 distribution sites.
Navy and Coast Guard Response
Sources
- Department of Defense
- Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA]
- Defense Video Imagery Distribution System [DVIDS]
Prior Posts
September 27 Aid Update for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
September 26 [late evening] Puerto Rico planned to fail before Maria hit
September 26 [late evening] Relief and Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico
September 26 Hurricane Maria Relief News for Today
September 25 Puerto Rico versus Haiti