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FEMA reps on standby in Guam

Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel are on standby to provide storm-related assistance to the Government of Guam, should it need it

FEMA External Affairs Officer Veronica Verdespoke with KUAM.

"We're monitoring the storm. We have pre-staged commodities, and just ready to support even after the storm to see what the needs may be depending on the storm track," she said. 

FEMA has more than 200 personnel deployed to both Guam and the CNMI.

Many are still here from the typhoon mawar aftermath.

They're mobilized after the new presidential emergency declaration requested by the governor...

"This is for life-saving, life-sustaining needs that both the Goverment of Guam or the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas may need prior to the storm. So its in preparation, so if there's preparation needs, if there's resource needs for food, water, commodities, then we're already working closely with Guam and CNMI to identify those needs either do they need it beforehand or to push it out right after the storm passes," she said.

"Right now there is no presidential declaration for individual assistance or public assistance because the storm hasn't made landfill, we don't know what those impacts are gonna be. Usually right after a storm passes FEMA will conduct what we call a preliminary damage assessment. We will do assessments if there is a request from the governor, and initially local government goes out and does their assessment right after a storm and they look to see how bad are the roads, what's the debris, how bad are the homes, are they damaged, destroyed, what does it look like right after the storm. After they do that preliminary damage assessment then they will look to see, maybe we need additional aid from FEMA and that comes from the governor to FEMA to the president to make a request for additional programs."

And while FEMA has resources postured for guam, should the CNMI take more of a hit, vega says that assistance can be shifted north.

"Should there be more needs, we're here on guam and we'll be pushing more resources as needed, and whatever the commodities that they need. They are pre-staged and ready to go for the needs of CNMI. Should they get the brunt of the impact, we're ready to support the government," she said.