2009 News
Joint Task Force Delivers More Than 172 Thousand Pounds in Assistance
U.S. Southern Command Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-B) continued operations during the weekend. The JTF-B helicopters, accompanied by Salvadoran pilots, delivered water, milk, juices, food, clothes, and blankets to seven communities that were hit the hardest by the storm. The U.S. team reached Verapaz, Guadalupe, La Quesera, Santa María Ostuma, Santa Cruz, and Ilopango.
Since the beginning of operations, on November 12, until Sunday, November 15, the U.S. aircraft have transported more than 172 thousand pounds of disaster relief assistance to the most isolated areas.
Salvadoran military engineers, Ministry of Health representatives, and Southern Command Corps of Engineers members flew to the devastated areas to assess the road infrastructure and the medical capacity. “We have seen over half a dozen bridges today”, said Lieutentant Colonel Anthony Higdon, chief of the Southcom team of engineers. “We are working with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assitance (OFDA) to support the Ministry of Public Works and the Command of Engineers of the Salvadoran Armed Forces.
Southern Command Medical Readiness Training Exercises are expected to take place within the next few days.