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Seabee Hurricane Recovery Force to Reach 3,000

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050902-29
Release Date: 9/2/2005 10:00:00 PM

By Daryl Smith, 1st Naval Construction Division Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy Seabees are currently deploying additional personnel to the Gulf Coast to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery operations.

Two active-duty Seabee battalions from Port Hueneme, Calif., Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) detachments from both coasts, and Reserve Seabee volunteers from various areas will join those already in Gulfport, Miss., for a total Seabee force of up to 3,000.

As currently envisioned, their initial mission will be to clear roads so that civil organizations can reach hurricane victims and to set up logistics centers to distribute food and water as well as to provide emergency medical services. Concurrently, they will also assist military bases in the area to get back in operation.

Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40 are now arriving in Gulfport from Port Hueneme, Calif., with the remainder of the battalion to follow. They will be followed by Seabees from NMCB 4, who will also deploy from Port Hueneme. Seabees from CBMU 202 detachments in Virginia, Florida and Georgia are also planning to deploy in coming days, along with CBMU 303 detachments from Washington state, California and Hawaii.

Gulfport-based Seabees from NMCBs 1, 7 and 133 are currently clearing roads, removing debris and repairing fences at Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. They also cleared a path along 15th Street in Gulfport to provide access to Memorial County Hospital.

The Seabees continue work to clear Highway 90 to Pass Christian, along with other vital roads to help civil authorities gain access to residents.

Most of the Seabees normally stationed at Construction Battalion Center Gulfport were evacuated before the hurricane struck, and efforts are underway to return them to the base to assist with recovery operations. Gulfport-based Seabees who were evacuated are asked to call 757-462-3160 for instructions.

Seabees are well-known for their humanitarian relief and disaster recovery capabilities. Most recently, they deployed to Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka after a massive tsunami devastated the area in December 2004. They also deployed to Naval Air Station Pensacola in September 2004 to help with recovery operations following Hurricane Ivan.