The Department of Transportation is coordinating a massive operation…
The Department of Transportation is coordinating a massive operation involving airplanes, buses, trucks, and ships designed to get supplies and personnel into affected regions and evacuate citizens out of New Orleans.
The Department has secured more than 1,639 trucks to support the delivery of more than 3,731 truckloads of goods, including more than 25 million MREs (meals ready to eat), more than 31 million liters of water, 56,400 tarps, more than 19 million pounds of ice and 215,000 blankets.
The Department is overseeing the largest airlift on U.S. soil to move supplies into affected regions and evacuate residents out of the city. Yesterday (Sunday), 70 passenger flights went in and out of the New Orleans airport. The Department is providing more than 1,200 buses to evacuate citizens. Approximately 66,000 people have been evacuated thus far by either air or bus.
The Department has also coordinated with nearby airports and airlines to provide operations and ground and ramp support to help unload and turnaround aircraft as quickly as possible.
For the first time in history, the Secretary of Transportation requested that the Department of Defense release vessels in the U.S. Ready Reserve Fleet for service moving supplies and personnel into the region, providing temporary housing and moving people out. The Empire State, Sirius, State of Maine, Wright, Flattery, and Diamond State are to set to arrive in coming days to join the Cape Kennedy and Cape Knox in New Orleans with three other ships being put on standby.
The Department has worked to restore the flow of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel throughout the country. Overall, the country is expected to have 95 percent of its refining capacity by the end of this week.
The Department has arranged for oil trucks to load fuel directly from oil pipelines in Collins, Mississippi, for delivery to emergency and relief personnel along the coast. The Department coordinated propane deliveries to the New Orleans airport to maintain radar operations and arranged delivery of electrical generators for emergency operations in the city.
Key Statistics
- Approximately 66,000 residents have been evacuated thus far by air and bus
- Yesterday (Sunday), 70 passenger flights went in and out of the New Orleans airport to provide supplies and evacuate residents
- U.S. DOT has employed more than 1,200 buses for the evacuation
- U.S. DOT has employed more than 1,600 trucks to deliver supplies into affected regions
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
