An official website of the United States government         Here's how you know         
**Official websites use .mil**
A **.mil** website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
**Secure .mil websites use HTTPS**
 A **lock (lock )** or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content (Press Enter).

U.S. Southern Command

Search
Search

Search

-  Home		 
-  About    -  About Main             
  -  Area of Responsibility             
  -  Leadership             
  -  SOUTHCOM Components and Units             
  -  History             
  -  SOUTHCOM Inspector General 
-  Commander's Priorities    -  Commander's Priorities Main             
  -  Strengthen Partnerships      -  Theater Maintenance Partnership Initiative (TMPI) 
  -  Counter Threats             
  -  Build Our Team 
-  Media    -  Media Main             
  -  News             
  -  Press Releases             
  -  Photos             
  -  Videos             
  -  Speeches | Transcripts             
  -  Special Coverage             
  -  SOUTHCOM Podcast 
-  USAG-M / Military-Family Services    -  U.S. Army Garrison-Miami      -  Equal Employment Opportunity Office 
  -  Overview of Services at SOUTHCOM             
  -  About the SOUTHCOM Installation and Local Community             
  -  Miami Family and MWR      -  Army Community Services             
    -  Child, Youth and School Services             
    -  Leisure Travel Services             
    -  Fitness Center 
  -  Visiting SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Health Clinic SOUTHCOM             
  -  Hurricane Preparedness Info             
  -  Conference Center of the Americas             
  -  Theater Clearance Info             
  -  SOUTHCOM Chaplain             
  -  TEAM SOUTHCOM - Total Engagement for All Members of U.S. Southern Command             
  -  Logistics Readiness Center-Miami             
  -  Public Notice – Environmental Assessment for the Construction of a Military Housing Development             
  -  SHARP (SAPR) 
-  Newcomers    -  Newcomers Main             
  -  Sponsor Request             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM             
  -  Army Newcomers             
  -  Navy Newcomers             
  -  Air Force Newcomers             
  -  Marine Corps Newcomers             
  -  Coast Guard Newcomers             
  -  Reserve Newcomers             
  -  Civilian Newcomers             
  -  Contractor Newcomers             
  -  Family Member Newcomers             
  -  Newcomers to Overseas Locations in SOUTHCOM 
-  Work With Us    -  Employment | Careers             
  -  Public / Private Cooperation             
  -  Operational Contract Support             
  -  SOUTHCOM Industry Engagement 
-  FOIA    -  FOIA Main             
  -  How to file A FOIA Request             
  -  FOIA Fees and Exemptions             
  -  Your FOIA Rights             
  -  ​FOIA Reading Room 
-  Contact    -  Contact SOUTHCOM             
  -  Community Requests             
  -  FAQ             
  -  Contact SOUTHCOM Inspector General             
  -  Directions to SOUTHCOM 

HomeMediaNews

# U.S. Southern Command Supports Caribbean Hurricane Response Efforts

By Cheryl Pellerin

                WASHINGTON  –              
U.S. Southern Command is supporting the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development in delivering and coordinating humanitarian relief to Haiti, which has been hard hit by Hurricane Matthew, Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd told reporters here today.                The center of Hurricane Matthew moves toward the north, Oct. 5, 2016. The hurricane. U.S. Southern Command has established a task force to support requests for U.S. assistance in stricken areas. Navy photo                            Hurricane Matthew                            The center of Hurricane Matthew moves toward the north, Oct. 5, 2016. The hurricane. U.S. Southern Command has established a task force to support requests for U.S. assistance in stricken areas. Navy photo            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: NavyVIRIN: 161005-N-N0101-002

Tidd, during a conference call from Southcom headquarters in Miami – itself only a day away from the hurricane’s high winds and rain -- said Haiti is the only country so far whose government has requested U.S. assistance in the wake of the storm.

Southcom is standing up Joint Task Force Matthew, commanded by Navy Rear Adm. Cedric Pringle, to support requests for humanitarian assistance, Tidd said, “and we've moved or we're in the process of moving nine helicopters to the Cayman Islands for potential onward movement to Haiti.”

**Haiti Hurricane Damage**

Hurricane Matthew has caused heavy wind damage and extensive flooding in southern Haiti, and strong winds have downed trees and power lines and destroyed agricultural fields, Tidd said. “We have reports indicating that communication infrastructure [is damaged] and that roads along the southern coastline are impassable,” he added. “We should have more information coming through USAID and our six-member attache's office within the embassy country team over the next few hours.” 

Teams on the ground using aircraft provided by the U.S. Coast Guard have been able to observe some of the damage along the coast, Tidd said, adding that Southcom expects to get detailed reports in the coming hours.

This morning, in consultation with the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and USAID, Southcom directed a small task force command team headed by Pringle to deploy to Port-au-Prince, and they’re expected to arrive later today, Tidd said.

**Military Helicopter Support**

“The helicopters are a mix of Army and Marine Corps heavy- and medium-lift helicopters that are moving in two waves through Grand Cayman Island and via Jamaica,” the admiral said, and they include four Army H-60 helicopters, two medical evacuation helicopters and two utility helicopters that have search-and rescue-capability.                Marines deployed to Honduras prepare a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter to deploy to Grand Cayman Island, Oct. 4, 2016. U.S. Southern Command directed a team of about 100 military personnel and nine helicopters to Grand Cayman Island where they will be staged and ready to support U.S. disaster relief operations in the Caribbean if requested by U.S. Agency for International Development. Marine Corps photo                            Stallion Prep                            Marines deployed to Honduras prepare a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter to deploy to Grand Cayman Island, Oct. 4, 2016. U.S. Southern Command directed a team of about 100 military personnel and nine helicopters to Grand Cayman Island where they will be staged and ready to support U.S. disaster relief operations in the Caribbean if requested by U.S. Agency for International Development. Marine Corps photo            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Marine Corps photoVIRIN: 161004-A-BS728-001A

Cutters from Coast Guard District 7 in Miami are already converging on the scene as the heavy seas begin to move out, and Southcom is working in close coordination with them, Tidd noted.

“We expect the first helicopters to be on the ground at Port au Prince Airport tomorrow,” he said. “There's still some heavy weather between Jamaica and Haiti right now that prevents [the helicopters] from moving on today, but we're watching the weather closely, and as soon as they can tomorrow, we hope they will be on the ground.”

The military personnel associated with the nine helicopters are a team of about 100 Marines, soldiers and Navy personnel, and Pringle will arrive shortly with a joint task force headquarters staff.

“We expect that over the next few days that will grow to about 50,” Tidd said, “so right now we're looking at 150 to 200 people, U.S. military personnel, supporting efforts [being undertaken] by USAID on the ground in Haiti.”

Initially, they will work with the Haitian government and USAID to conduct surveys to determine which areas are hardest hit, he added, then using the medium- and heavy-lift helicopters they’ll start moving humanitarian supplies to the outlying areas, especially those areas that seem to be cut off by damage to bridges and roads on Haiti’s southern peninsula.

**Ensuring Haiti Relief**

About Jamaica, Tidd said initial reports are that the country has requested no DoD assistance to support efforts there.

The storm is chewing through the Bahamas, and then it's projected to head up the southeast coast of the United States, the admiral said. At Southcom headquarters in Miami, all nonessential military and civilian personnel were released from work today at 2 p.m.

A small team of essential personnel will remain on duty at the headquarters until the storm comes through and weather conditions improve, Tidd said. “They will be prepared to monitor all of the personnel accounting taking place throughout the theater during the inclement weather [and will] ensure that the Haiti relief mission is unaffected by the storm and [that we will] be able to coordinate as needed with local, state and federal agencies,” he added.
(Follow Cheryl Pellerin on Twitter @PellerinDoDNews)

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT                

## Related Links

Special Report: National Preparedness Month

disaster reliefSouthern Commandsouthcom