Members of NASA Ames Research Center’s Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) are providing on-the-scene support to rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The NASA Ames Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Moffett Field, Calif., has been activated and is coordinating with the NASA Headquarters EOC and with other EOCs throughout the agency supporting NASA’s hurricane relief efforts. Robert J. Dolci, director of emergency services at NASA Ames, has been assigned to the NASA Headquarters EOC led by Bill Parsons, starting early next week.
NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Gulfport, Miss., as well as the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, La., both were hit hard by the hurricane. Approximately 3,500 NASA civil service and contractor employees work at the two facilities, in addition to some 4,600 employees of other federal agencies.
On Aug. 30, DART provided one water rescue specialist as part of a 12-person flood response team sent to the hurricane zone by California Task Force 3 of Menlo Park, Calif.
Eight DART specialists currently are en route to Louisiana and are expected to arrive this afternoon. As many as 50 additional DART members may be deployed when requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
A six-person emergency communications team from NASA Ames will fly to Huntsville as soon as possible. The team also has shipped emergency communications equipment and has purchased $50,000 of satellite time to support satellite communications.
NASA has designated a telephone number (256/544-4700) for family members seeking information about people who may have sought shelter from Hurricane Katrina at Stennis Space Center and Michoud Assembly Facility. NASA also is taking e-mail inquiries about personnel sheltering at Stennis and Michoud. Use “Assistance – Katrina” in the subject line, and send e-mail inquiries to:
public-inquiries@hq.nasa.gov
In addition, NASA has established a toll-free number (888/362-4323) for recorded updates about general conditions at Stennis and Michoud.
NASA will provide updated information as it becomes available. For updates, visit
For more information about NASA Ames’ Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team, visit:
