Several employees had medical conditions that required immediate access to medication and care. With many roads impassable and dwindling food and fuel supplies, reports of looting and civil unrest began to spread and added to the already hazardous situation. Despite these efforts, nearly 20 employees remained unaccounted for immediately after the storm and the concern for those with medical needs launched the department into action. The team quickly set up operations at SJRO and began to locate fuel and vehicles to allow them to search for missing employees.
They worked around-the-clock, searching for employees and assisting with evacuating employees and family members from the island. In the end, the team achieved percent personnel accountability and evacuated 14 State Department employees and 32 family members. Aided by SJRO Agent in Charge Rick Hays, the team also removed and secured the transportation of nearly 6, pounds of sensitive cargo, which included passports, passport applications, sensitive documents, investigative evidence, IT equipment, weapons, and more.
After six days living and working out of the SJRO office on limited power and no air conditioning, the team returned to the mainland successfully fulfilling their mission.
Fortunately for the U. They were at the embassy when Hurricane Matthew hit Nassau in Personnel inspected facilities for potential vulnerabilities, prepared a storm-proofing checklist, and primed the alternate command center, which would serve as the central hub should the primary command center become unavailable. As forecasting models put Nassau well inside the hurricane impact zone, embassy leaders decided to get as many embassy staff out of The Bahamas as possible.
Kapoukakis and Pusch helped evacuate 55 non-emergency employees, family members, and 65 U. Meanwhile, Kapoukakis and Pusch managed multiple residential wardens, prepared them with basic first responder training, pre-positioned emergency kits, and set up a communication plan to exchange critical information at specific intervals.
This helped mission disaster response officers maintain personnel accountability and updated employee contact lists — always a crucial task for major disaster response efforts. The office has approximately 35 Diplomatic Security special agents and investigators. These special agents and investigators form the backbone of DS' domestic law enforcement mission. The principal investigative focus of the Houston Field Office is maintaining the integrity of U. Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria, to build a case against a Nigerian couple charged with forced labor and visa fraud.
More recently, HFO has been working with the regional security officer at the U. Embassy in Conakry, Guinea, to interview witnesses and gather evidence for a domestic servitude investigation in which the victim began her employment with a family as a minor.
General Services Office to embed emergency response teams in mobile patrol vehicles. The mobile patrols pre-staged supplies and equipment at key locations throughout the city to ensure that in the event neighborhoods were cut off from embassy support by flooding or impassable roads, response vehicles would be able to access residences throughout the city from alternate locations.
MSAUs are small, task-organized units that provide security assistance to U. Skip to content An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Official websites use.
Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. For current information, go to www. Latest Stories. Share Share this page on:. DSS special agents oversee personnel as they load luggage and equipment onto planes evacuating Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria, September Department of State photo The Atlantic hurricane season has been one of the most powerful and destructive seasons ever recorded. Here are a few examples of how DSS handled hurricane preparation, response, and relief efforts.
MSD special agents can deploy on short notice and provide rapid response to natural disasters, crises, and other emergency situations. Department of State photo The team quickly set up operations at SJRO and began to locate fuel and vehicles to allow them to search for missing employees. Department of State photo U. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados The U.
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