Multimedia Release: Coast Guard, partner agencies in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands prepare for Hurricane Maria
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 09/18/2017 02:14 PM EDT
Multimedia Release |
Sept. 18, 2017 |
Coast Guard, partner agencies in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands prepare for Hurricane Maria
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The U.S. Coast Guard is relocating personnel, cutters and aircraft Monday from areas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico expected to be impacted by Hurricane Maria.
The Coast Guard’s first priority is to ensure safety of life at sea and that the public and our people remain safe as Hurricane Maria approaches the area. After the Hurricane, the Coast Guard will resume port reconstitution efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and respond to any maritime search and rescue situations in the area once conditions are safe for Coast Guard assets to deploy.
“We are relocating our personnel and assets to protect them from Hurricane Maria and strategically position them so that they are readily available to respond to Coast Guard missions in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands once the conditions are safe, said Capt. Eric P. King, Coast Guard Captain of the Port San Juan. “Our priorities following the hurricane are the safety of our personnel and the public and to inspect facilities and navigable channels in order to reopen the ports and reestablish maritime commerce to the islands as soon as possible.
As the Coast Guard prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Maria to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, boaters, mariners and beach goers need to realize that Search and Rescue capabilities will be limited until conditions are safe for Coast Guard surface and air assets to deploy.
For information on Hurricane Irma progress and hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center's webpage.
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