LIEUTENANT COLONEL DEVIN ROBINSON: All proper girls and gents, it’s 5:01 so we’ll go forward and get began.
My identify is Lieutenant Colonel Devin Robinson, I will be your moderator for our briefing right this moment. Simply to shortly run over a couple of of the bottom guidelines, we’re actually grateful that Colonel Fielder is ready to make a while for us right this moment. He and his staff are extraordinarily busy with the essential mission that they’re engaged on. So we need to ensure that we maintain this briefing as transient as attainable.
We have recognized which reporters want to ask questions forward of time. So I will name on reporters as we work by way of the checklist. Due to time constraints, I would ask you to restrict your questions to at least one query and doubtlessly one brief follow-up. Given the audio challenges of working within the Zoom setting, we might additionally ask you to please mute your telephone till you are known as upon. So police yourselves on that.
And right this moment’s press convention as a reminder is on the document. Appears to be like like we’ve received some dwell mics right here, so let me simply take a minute to examine these actual fast. Okay. I need to simply restress earlier than we get began that Colonel Fielder is right here to debate the DOD’s response to the wildfires in Maui. So please restrict your inquiries to that matter.
And with out additional ado, I would prefer to introduce the Joint Process Drive 5-0 Title 10 Deputy Twin Standing Commander, Colonel David Fielder. Sir, are you able to hear me?
COLONEL DAVID FIELDER: Yeah, I’ve you. Thanks.
Hey, good morning all people. Once more, my identify is David Fielder and I’m the Deputy Twin Standing Commander for the Title 10 response for Process Drive 5-0. I work with Brigadier Basic Logan every day and we offer the assist to the native and state authorities right here. And I am proud to symbolize the women and men offering this whole DOD response in assist of this mission.
This mission is essential. On the finish of the day, these are our neighbors and our households which have been affected by this and we’re proud to be a part of the response. And with that, I will open it up for any questions you might need. Thanks.
LT. COL. ROBINSON: Thanks, sir. Recognize that.
We’ll begin with Ben Kesling, Wall Road Journal. Ben.
Q: Hello, Colonel. Thanks.
I’m wondering for those who may simply speak to me a little bit bit concerning the difficulties with stay restoration, each in figuring out stays, figuring out DNA that is in these stays and the way lengthy the timeframe is on how lengthy it may take, weeks or months even? After which additionally speak to me a little bit bit about DOD’s involvement within the forensics and anthropology that is taking place.
COL. FIELDER: Hey, thanks for that query, Ben.
I am not on no account an expert at DNA and having the ability to determine the stays and the timeframe. I’ll let you know that from the DOD response to it, we have got members of the Division of Protection, POW Lacking in Motion Accountability Company over right here aiding the native authorities. We’ve one within the forensic lab who’s serving to out and we have gotten a number of on the scene down there as they’re doing the seek for stays they usually assist with that every single day. However that is about so far as I can reply on that. I haven’t got any timeframes. I do know it is a troublesome process, however I’m not the subject material skilled by any means. Thanks.
LT. COL. ROBINSON: Okay, thanks, sir.
Our subsequent query is Oren Liebermann, CNN.
Q: Hey, how are you, sir? Thanks for doing this. I am simply questioning for those who can provide us a way of as you get extra into the affected space, do you’ve a way of how lengthy that can take? What kind of belongings or capabilities chances are you’ll want going ahead that you simply did not know you wanted up till now? After which are you able to give us a way of what is on standby and the way that is developed?
COL. FIELDER: Nice query. And I do not know if I can reply all of it fully as a result of they’re about 85 p.c, 87 p.c cleared proper now. However the final buildings they must clear are going to be extraordinarily sophisticated. They already began mobilizing some gear to go in there to take away a few of the buildings to get to the stays. The very earliest projection and we’re speaking weeks, it is not going to be days to get by way of all that. We have a whole lot of belongings obtainable. We continued to dialogue with the native and the state to offer something they want. We have twenty fifth Infantry Division, the Marine Corps if we have to present that, and the Navy has received some building functionality too. If something is required, they’re going to request it and we’re more than pleased to offer that assist to it. However on the finish of the day we’re on the behest of the native responders down there which might be built-in fully into the Emergency Operation Middle on the county stage. And if the mayor wants it, he’ll request that up by way of these applicable channels and we’ll get them over right here. It takes hours, not days or perhaps weeks. Thanks.
Q: Thanks, sir. Only a fast comply with, what are these buildings and what makes them sophisticated? Are you able to simply describe that for us and, once more?
COL. FIELDER: Yeah. These buildings, they’re simply multi-dwelling excessive risers that they must be very cautious on descaling these to get down there. That is probably the most sophisticated piece to it.
LT. COL. ROBINSON: Okay, thanks, sir.
Our subsequent query will go to Jennifer Hlad from Protection One.
Q: Hello, sir. I am undecided when you have seen this Honolulu Journal article that the headline is, “What’s with the Underwhelming Navy Response in Maui?” And I do know there’s been a whole lot of dialogue, I am in O`ahu, a whole lot of dialogue within the Islands simply concerning the army’s response. And the distinction was with Hurricane, I consider, Iniki is the way you pronounce it in 1992, but in addition Katrina, simply army passing out water and meals and medical provides. And this time I do know the army helps with, such as you talked about, the one a part of the mission however not likely with the aid for the survivors, I suppose. They’re serving to discover the deceased. Anyway, I used to be questioning for those who may simply speak a little bit bit about that and perhaps a little bit bit about why the army to this point shouldn’t be doing loads on the opposite aspect with serving to the survivors get water and medical provides and people sorts of issues? Or if they’re, and I am unaware, please let me know.
COL. FIELDER: Jennifer, thanks for that query. I am not conscious of the article. I’ve not seen that. I will speak to my public affairs and ensure they get me that article there. However hear, I’d let you know that the DOD response, simply me personally, once I received phrase that we had been going to face up this taskforce, I used to be in Guam. And throughout the timeframe I may recover from right here, I left on Friday, received right here on Friday, we stood up this Joint Taskforce inside 72 hours. And we’re prepared to reply to something that the mayor had requested for. And it is extraordinarily sophisticated if you take a look at, it was instant motion on the bottom down there. They needed to assess a few of that. After which we got here in and offered the mayor and the governor an inventory of capabilities. But it surely’s received to be programmed out to some extent. I will let you know that the Nationwide Guard had individuals on website inside hours to assist with the response. We had helicopters on standby to assist with the firefighting. And, actually, we have stood up these belongings up and simply by coincidence we would have liked to make use of them on one other island because the Guard was dropping water over right here. After which as quickly as a request has been given to us, we haven’t been ready for all the paperwork to go so long as there’s been a request that we may fulfill, we have began. And I will return to – we simply obtained Navy divers. And inside 24 hours of that request they had been on the bottom they usually’ll be within the water right this moment that assist search for stays and assist salvage. They do some underwater surveying for salvaging they usually’re responding to it. There is a capability problem. You possibly can’t ship all people at one time, it is received to be type of layered out. However thanks for that query. And it is essential. It might appear gradual from the surface but it surely’s been going in a short time – as wanted, as requested by the native and state who’re finally in-charge of your entire operation.
Q: All proper. Thanks, sir. And sorry to ramble a lot.
LT. COL. ROBINSON: Thanks ma’am. For our subsequent query, we’ll go to Mosh at NBC.
Q: Thanks a lot for doing this. I used to be questioning for those who may give us a breakdown of the 725 or so DOD personnel. How are many are energetic responsibility versus not, additionally contractors? After which with the dive groups, the three dive groups from PAC FLEET, I am questioning for those who may simply give us a bit extra sense of what they’ll be doing, what’s been discovered. In the event you may simply speak a little bit bit extra about their mission. And is that this totally different from over the weekend, I suppose, it was Maui Hearth mentioned that their dive mission with the Navy had concluded. So I am questioning, for those who may speak a little bit bit concerning the totally different mission units there, that may be useful only for some clarification. Thanks.
COL. FIELDER: Sorry, for taking a second, I used to be simply attempting to write down a few of that down simply make certain I reply your questions clearly. So proper now now we have a complete of 572 personnel. And that features each Energetic Responsibility, Reserve, and Nationwide Guard, and a few Division of Military civilians that make up the DPAA, that Protection POW Lacking in Motion Accountability Company. Out of that, we additionally now we have some USACE contractors are over right here, that whole about 44. Coast Guard is offering some within the 50s vary that they are offering assist too. However they do not fall below DOD, they’re a part of the Division of Homeland Safety. So it’s a whole power integration that the JTF right here would not essentially management all the pieces however we monitor issues, so there is a unity of effort. And in order for the dive staff, to reply your second query, in order that they had been requested for from the Maui Hearth Division. They’ve linked up with them they usually’re in right here to assist coordinate. They work with the Hearth Division they usually work with the Coast Guard. And so they present an expeditionary and deployable diving and salvage operation for the harbor right here and the waterway. Couple of issues, the map out a part of it with the boats which have sunk on the market and in addition to search for stays contained in the harbor after which in a few of the channel. However they’re in direct coordination with the Maui Hearth Division and their divers and United States Coast Guard. Did I reply all of your questions, Mosh?
Q: So has that mission ended? As a result of I believe there was some reporting that it had. I simply needed to type of work out the place that stood.
COL. FIELDER: No, no. In no way. We do not have an finish date for proper now. And so they simply entered the water right this moment. They received on the bottom two days in the past they usually made their assessments with the Maui Hearth Division and with the Coast Guard yesterday. And, actually, they’re in all probability diving proper now. And we’ll get a extremely good replace by the tip of the day on what they’ve accomplished and what they seem like as they transfer ahead. And so they will not finish till the Maui Hearth Division and the Coast Guard thinks that they not want the potential.
Q: Okay. After which one final fast one, earlier, I believe it mentioned US Military Pacific was executing 9 FEMA missions after which right this moment on the briefing it was mentioned that there have been eight. What is the distinction there? Was there one misplaced or are you able to simply clarify that?
COL. FIELDER: Yeah. So I received to return and look. Nothing is ended but for the mission assignments. I believe what the distinction was that now we have a fueling operation over right here and now we have modified on these mission assignments to present us a better finish date. However all the pieces remains to be open and we’ve not accomplished something in any respect proper now.
Q: Thanks.
LT. COL. ROBINSON: Okay girls and gents, thanks. These had been the questions that we had collected forward of time. Sir, I will flip it over to you to your closing remarks.
COL. FIELDER: Hey, thanks Devin. Hey, I admire this chance to speak to all people and get what we’re doing out to the better public and I admire all the pieces you are doing to assist that. On the finish of the day, it is a very essential mission and there’s no place I would slightly be. I do know that there is no such thing as a place that this Taskforce would slightly be in assist of this mission. And I thanks once more.
