5 Navy ships, Marines preparing and responding to Hurricane Irma
Wasp — the first Navy platform to arrive near the Virgin Islands — is providing medium and heavy lift helicopters to transport people and supplies. Wasp’s helicopters are conducting medical evacuations for intensive care patients from St. Thomas to St. Croix. The helicopter crews are also doing site assessments on the initial damage in St. Thomas.
Wasp left Norfolk for Sasebo, Japan on Aug. 30 to assume duties as the forward-deployed flagship of the amphibious force of the U.S. 7th Fleet. The ship was on its way when it was redirected to assist with relief efforts.
Kearsarge and Oak Hill left Naval Station Norfolk on Aug. 31 to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. They were redirected to stage
south of Florida to be prepared for any kind of response to Irma.
Gallery: Navy relief efforts in US Virgin Islands
Two other Navy ships that are actually based in Jacksonville, Florida are leaving from Naval Station Norfolk on Friday to help the victims of Irma.
Crews were loading the USS Iwo Jima and USS New York with food, water, medical supplies and heavy equipment Thursday afternoon. The two ships were headed here initially for exercises, but were re-purposed to carry supplies from FEMA to the storm victims.
More than 1,700 sailors and Marines will be aboard the two ships, including an engineering unit of Marines from Camp Lejeune. They can provide electricity, fuel for vehicles and will bring equipment that can purify water.
