SAVANNAH, Ga. – In response to the possible threat of Tropical Storm Erin, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, deployed its Emergency Power Planning and Response Team, a 13-person team, to the U.S. Virgin Islands Thursday Aug. 14, 2025, to pre-position for potential storm recovery efforts.
“The team, one of just seven Emergency PRTs operated nationwide by USACE, was sent to the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix,” said District Emergency Management Specialist Tatjana Tessneer. “This allows them to respond quickly if the storm causes power outages in the Virgin Islands.”
If Tropical Storm Erin causes damage, the PRT is there, trained and ready, to respond by providing generators at critical public facilities to deliver what could be lifesaving and life sustaining electrical power needs until the commercial power grid can be restored. These facilities include hospitals, police and fire stations, shelters, nursing homes, and wastewater treatment plants.
The team coordinates its mission with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army’s 249th Engineer Battalion, local governments, and private contractors, to initiate an organized response.
As Tropical Storm Erin approaches the Caribbean, emergency officials continue to monitor its path and potential impact. The early deployment of the Emergency PRT is part of a broader federal effort to ensure resources are ready to assist affected communities as needed.
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Release no. 25-032