CBP Bracing for Hurricane Dorian and Making Final Preparations in Florida and Across Southeast

MIAMI—As an extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian bears down on the Bahamas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) staged highly-trained teams of aircrews and personnel in Florida and across the entire Southeast to launch rescue teams immediately after Dorian passes.

CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircraft and crews from Tucson, Detroit and Puerto Rico are staging at the Miami Air and Marine Branch. AMO has also pre-positioned personnel and assets at several strategic locations across the southeastern United States.

A U.S. Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) team is staged in the Florida Panhandle. CBP has spent the past week preparing equipment and relocating assets in key areas—and months planning for the busy Atlantic hurricane season.

CBP officers and agents support local, state, and federal agency partners during natural disasters and subsequent rescue and recovery efforts in maintaining an emergency operations center—supporting search and rescue services, recovery assessments, security, and relief efforts. CBP contributes a variety of personnel and unique capabilities—including aerial and urban search and rescue, advanced first aid, and aviation assets with tracking and detection capabilities.

CBP’s Emergency Operations Center at CBP Headquarters in Washington D.C., is coordinating the agency’s efforts for Hurricane Dorian internally as well as externally with other federal, state and local partners.

“Highly trained U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel from Florida and across the region are preparing for Hurricane Dorian response efforts and ready to immediately deploy to impacted areas,” said CBP Region IV Lead Field Coordinator Diane J. Sabatino. “Our highest priority during a national emergency is the safety of people who are affected and we are committed to fulfilling our frontline responsibilities.”

CBP Region IV provides communications and coordination for all CBP surface, land and air assets in Region IV which includes Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands during major disasters and national emergencies.

During an emergency, CBP’s emergency response is conducted in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Response Framework.

CBP’s highest priorities during a hurricane are to promote life-saving and life-sustaining activities, the safe evacuation of people leaving the impacted area, the maintenance of public order, the prevention of the loss of property to the extent possible and the speedy recovery of the region.

CBP remains in constant communication with travel and trade stakeholders during emergencies and conducts travel and trade facilitation operations as long as it is safe to do so.

CBP’s AMO aircrews from the Miami Air and Marine Branch, Jacksonville Air and Marine Branch and National Air Security Operations Center in Jacksonville have deployed for a number of complex response and recovery efforts following destructive hurricanes over the last few years in Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and the Carolinas. Air and Marine Operations transports vital supplies during humanitarian flights and actively supports relief operations and assessments.

CBP’s Office of Field Operations in Florida includes more than 2,500 front-line federal officers, agricultural specialists, trade and mission support personnel securing over 1,200 miles of the coastal border and providing travel and trade facilitation. U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) teams from Region IV deploy during major disasters providing specialized expertise, equipment—and helping those in need.

For information updates on preparedness and response efforts follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Instagram, Flickr and Twitter at @CBP @CBPCaribbean @CBPSoutheast and @CBPFlorida.