Deployment During Natural Disasters
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) has supported the response to natural disasters with deployment of subject matter experts and communications technology.
Hurricane Isabel (2003)
When Hurricane Isabel struck the East Coast in 2003, ORISE deployed members of the National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) in support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s needs at the National Emergency Operations Center in Washington, D.C., and at a Disaster Field Office (DFO) in Richmond, Va. The NDERs provided their expertise in energy systems restoration to restore power to those areas impacted by Hurricane Isabel.
Hurricane Katrina (2005)
In 2005, ORISE trained and outfitted the Knoxville Fire Department to use specialized data communications technology in their response to the tremendous needs created by Hurricane Katrina. Although they ultimately did not deploy for Katrina, they have used the training and applications to better respond to emergencies in the East Tennessee region.
