The Ocean Signal | April 26th - May 10th, 2013
Sandy 6 Months Later Nationwide Police Response In Ocean County Louisiana State Police Bring Katrina Experience To Sandy Recovery by Christa Riddle “New Jersey was one of the first state police agencies to respond after Hurricane Katrina. When Hurricane Sandy hit, it was our duty to repay New Jersey for their support here in New Orleans,” shares Captain Doug Cain, Public Affairs Commander of the Louisiana State Police. “Although Hurricane Sandy brought back many difficult memories for us, the people of New Jersey took great comfort in the fact that we had survived our disaster, that we recovered and grew even stronger as a community after our tragedy in New Orleans. For them, we became a source of hope.” On Friday, November 2nd, the Louisiana State Police received a call for assistance from Colonel Joseph “Rick” Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) after the wrath of Hurricane Sandy pummeled the Jersey Shore. The EMAC, established in 1996, provides mutual aid to its member states and U.S. territories during governordeclared states of emergency. It is a response system for states to send disaster-relief personnel, equipment, and commodities to other states during times of need. During the early morning hours of Sunday, November 4th, a convoy of 25 Louisiana
troopers began their 20-hour drive to New Jersey to serve an eight to 30-day tour of duty; over 300 troopers had volunteered to go. The troopers, many of which had direct hurricane recovery experience, arrived at Fort Dix at 1 a.m. on Monday, November 5th and were immediately sworn in as New Jersey State Police so they could serve in the same capacities as their New Jersey counterparts. The officers were immedi-
ately deployed in the Ocean County area to provide law enforcement support and emergency management
security; they also offered optimism that these times of anguish and distress would pass. “The Louisiana troopers spent time talking with the citizens hit hardest by Sandy. We recognized that familiar look of despair on the citizens’ faces. It was the same look of despair we had experienced after Katrina. Giving people hope that their homes, their towns, and their lives would eventually return to normalcy became our mission beyond safety and security,” recalls Captain Cain. On November 8th, Captain Cain flew into New Jersey with Colonel Michael Ed-
monson, superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, and Lieutenant Colonel Charles Dupuy, deputy superintendent and chief of staff of the Louisiana State Police. They met with Colonel Fuentes, spent time with their troopers, and went into the air via helicopter to assess damage along the barrier islands. “Before the aerial view, I had no idea of the extent of damage to New Jersey’s barrier islands. The devastation was reminiscent
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of what we witnessed in Katrina’s aftermath. It brought back many difficult memories,” shares Captain Cain.
Aside from their duty to maintain order, protect life and property, promote recovery, and represent their home state of Louisiana, the troopers created many lifelasting memories for both themselves and the people whose lives they touched. While here, the troopers reunited people with their pets and helped a displaced family of four who had lost their home and all of their belongings during the disaster. Meeting the family in a shelter, the troopers headed to Walmart to buy the family clothes and supplies; there, they met a generous wom-
an who offered the family housing in one of her rental properties. The troopers also attended a middle school student job fair and were asked to call the coin toss for a local high school football game as a gesture of thanks for their dedication and service. Before heading back to Louisiana on November 17th, some of the troopers cooked a huge batch of Louisiana gumbo for 200 first responders in Ocean County. The Louisiana State Police chronicled their New Jersey tour of duty from November 4th through 19th on Facebook, where they have many “friends” and “likes” from the thankful citizens of the Jersey Shore. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for personal stories, photos, and details at https://www.facebook. com/LouisianaStatePolice. The Township of Long Beach Island recognized the troopers’ dedication with a proclamation for their courageous and humanitarian efforts during the Hurricane Sandy disaster.
Massachusetts State Police Went Above And Beyond After Sandy By Christa Riddle On Saturday, November 3rd, Lieutenant Michael
nardy and the Toms River Police Department. “When we arrived, the area’s people were calm because
Habel of the Massachusetts State Police, along with his contingent of 25 fellow officers, received word that they would head to the hurricane-ravaged areas of
time had passed since the hurricane,” recalls Lieutenant Habel. “They were resigned to the fact that they had lost everything, and they were strong and ready
amazed at the number of refrigerators tipped over and displaced by the hurricane’s flooding. I had no idea they would float because they are so large. We found ourselves helping in any way we could, just doing what people needed. We moved so many refrigerators, we felt like appliance delivery guys,” remembers Lieutenant Habel. In addition to uprighting refrigerators, Lieutenant Habel and the other officers from Massachusetts assisted with moving furniture, carting personal belongings, and getting residents back into their homes during phase one of Toms River’s three-phase re-entry plan. Their main focus was security and patrolling to prevent looting, which they did not encounter at all. The Massachusetts of-
New Jersey Shore the following Saturday. Through the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), calls for help after disasters such as Hurricane Sandy are routed to all state police departments throughout the country, with a standard request to send 25 officers to assist during the time of need. “Although we had been on stand-by before during Hurricane Katrina and the Alabama tornadoes, this was the first time we were actually deployed to help,” shares Lieutenant Habel. By OEM order, Lieutenant Habel and the Massachusetts State Police were split up into three groups upon arriving in New Jersey on November 10th, heading off to areas needing assistance, such as Brick, Monmouth County, and Hazlet. On Tuesday, November 13th, the 25 officers reunited and were dispatched by the OEM to Ortley Beach to serve under the command of Chief Michael Mastro-
to move ahead.” Although Lieutenant Habel and the same contingent of officers had helped in Springfield Massachusetts, the second largest city in the state, after its 2011 tornado, he was
ficers also helped the Toms River Police Department with checking identifications for re-entry onto the Barrier Island. “The people in Ortley Beach and the whole area were super appreciative and friendly,
shocked by the devastation Hurricane Sandy left behind. “After the tornado, there was water and wind damage, but this was much more widespread, affecting so many people. I was
even though many of them had just lost everything. It was difficult being away from home and our families, but I felt lucky we had homes to return to after seeing this. The whole experience was very rewarding,” shares Lieutenant Habel, who was very impressed by the dedication of the Toms River Police Department. “Officers who had lost their own homes were out there helping others, working 24/7 to help their community. If we got called back tomorrow to help, we would definitely head back and do it all over again.” The Toms River Police Department and community extend thanks to the Massachusetts State Police for their assistance and support.
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