While Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany was spared from damage, Helene brought a tremendous destruction to people across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Ahead of Hurricane Helene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency requested the use of MCLB Albany as a FEMA Incident Support Base to support the relief efforts due to Helene. These requests are typical and occur in response to major natural or man-made disasters.

“The federal government is postured to respond to state needs for temporary, emergency power anywhere in the South Atlantic region,” says Maj. Jerard Paden, temporary emergency power mission commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“These requests are typical and occur in response to major or man-made disasters. This is not unique to MCLB Albany, and the base has served in this capacity previously, the most recent occurring during Hurricane Michael (2018) and Hurricane Dorian (2019). MCLB Albany is an optimal location for such missions as it is generally central to the impacted coastal areas of the panhandle and Big Bend areas of Florida,” says Col. Davis Christy, senior marine emergency preparedness liaison officer, FEMA.

The USACE Temporary Emergency Power mission team has mobilized in response to Hurricane Helene at MCLB Albany. From here, master electricians will be sent out to do assessments of the requesting local community’s needs before generators are sent out and installed to restore power temporarily until local authorities can get power back online to the grid.

“Any time there is a disaster, it requires team effort. We’re happy to play a part in supporting the region’s recovery,” adds Col. Matthew McKinney, commanding officer, MCLB Albany.