Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Military Assistance to Civilians during Disasters
Message-ID: <10510@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 23 Oct 89 23:09:24 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Lines: 34
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov
This subject was brought up in reference to Hugo and I now have
information from the news coverage of the Bay Area earthquake.
 
The Bay Bridge, a portion of which collapsed in the quake, has
one span from San Francisco to Treasure Island and the other from
Treasure Island to Oakland.  Treasure Island is a Navy Station.
The Navy rescued everybody on the bridge that they could, kept them
and fed them, and provided medical care where needed.  Most of the
people didn't leave until the next day.
 
The Navy and Coast Guard put up SAR (search and rescue) helicopters
over the Bay for water rescues.  The Air National Guard provided
medivac (medical evacuation) helicopters.
 
The Navy and Marines provided heavy-lift helicopters to move
construction equipment to the rescue effort at the freeway that
collapsed.  I think they also provided some of the equipment.
 
A Navy ship in San Francisco began providing fresh water from its
desalinazation plant, since the municipal system was seriously damaged.
 
Military police from all installations in the affected areas were
loaned to the local police departments for traffic control, etc.
 
I believe that the civil/construction engineering units were also
used in some civilian areas in rescue efforts.
 
--
Mary Shafer   shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov  arpa!elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
         NASA Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                    Of course I don't speak for NASA