U.S. Army North deploys team in response to California wildfires

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Lori Simmons | Maj. Gen. Thomas Matthews, from U.S. Army North, briefs the news media, Oct. 23, at Kelly Airfield, in San Antonio, Texas, before the unit's command assessment element deploys in response to the wildfires burning in California.  

UNITED STATES

10.30.2007

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Lori Simmons 

U.S. Army North

By Sgt. 1st Class Lori Simmons
ARNORTH Public Affairs Office

Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Army North deployed a command assessment element from Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to Pasadena, Calif., in response to the recent wildfires.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Matthews, the commander of the CAE, explained the team is a "follow on" effort to what the defense coordinating officer and his staff deployed from Oakland, Calif., is already accomplishing.

Matthews said, "It is very important, when you enter an event like this, not to disrupt or distract any responders who are deeply engaged." For this reason, he continued, Army North put together a small team of functional experts to assess the situation in a "quiet way."

Matthews emphasized, "It is not our (the CAE) job to decide what to bring in. It's the state and FEMA's job to identify what the requirements are," so there is a "coordinated effort" to make sure everyone has what they need, when and where they need it.

According to Matthews, the CAE team is responsible to report its findings back to the NORTHCOM commander who then "pushes" the information up to the Department of Defense.

Army North is the Army Component of NORTHCOM, the unified command responsible for homeland defense and civil support missions.

• Date Taken: 10.30.2007
• Date Posted: 10.30.2007 12:08
• Story ID: 13483
• Location: US