Imagery Available: Coast Guard in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands prepared for Hurricane Maria relief effort

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 09/20/2017 07:17 PM EDT

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Coast Guard in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands prepared for Hurricane Maria relief effort

Lt. j.g. Josh McElhaney, situation unit leader for the Coast Guard Incident Command Post in Puerto Rico, listens to a teleconference with the 7th Coast Guard District and takes notes in the dark while Hurricane Maria passes over Puerto Rico, Sept. 20, 2017. Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in San Juan ,Puerto Rico, load bottled water onto the cutter while moored in Curacao, Sept. 20, 2017.
Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in San Juan ,Puerto Rico, unload bottled water from a flatbed truck in Curacao, Sept. 20, 2017.
Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in San Juan ,Puerto Rico, load bottled water onto the cutter while moored in Curacao, Sept. 20, 2017.
Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in San Juan ,Puerto Rico, load bottled water onto the cutter while moored in Curacao, Sept. 20, 2017. Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in San Juan ,Puerto Rico, load bottled water onto the cutter while moored in Curacao, Sept. 20, 2017.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—The Coast Guard personnel in and near Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are currently weathering and evading Hurricane Maria, Wednesday.  

After the hurricane passes, Coast Guard personnel will respond to any maritime search and rescue needs and begin port reconstitution efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  

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. Coast Guard assets and personnel have been strategically positioned with relief supplies including water in areas near the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley is en route from Curacao to Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands with more than 800 gallons of bottled water. Other resources will be delivered as needed by other assets and personnel.

Coast Guard personnel have been responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria for the past several weeks.

For information on Hurricane Maria progress and hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center's webpage.

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