Greensburg, Kansas Tornado Assistance Base Camp Facts

GREENSBURG, KAS. (May 21, 2007) -- The Boise Incident Management Team continues to manage a base camp in Greensburg, Kansas providing emergency responders with hot meals, temporary housing, laundry service, and hot showers. The Base Camp, located in Davis Park, was established on May 8 with help from the San Juan Hotshots from Durango, CO.

The Hotshots assisted the IMT with: removing numerous fallen trees and tornado debris blown into the park; setting up sleeping tents; and mitigating any identified safety hazards within and around the base camp facility. They were released earlier this week, but their efforts were invaluable in getting the Base Camp established. The Base Camp has become very popular with emergency responders, giving them a place to rest and break away from the hectic and stressful environment they are working in.

The Boise IMT will continue to operate the camp over the next few weeks and provide responders with quality logistical support to maintain health and strength to accomplish the response mission for the community and people of Greensburg, Kansas.

Photograph captions: Catering is provided by Incident Catering Service of Snohomish, Wash. To the left, Kansas National Guard is waiting in the chow line at base camp. (Photo credit: Mike Ferris of the U.S. Forest Service.)

CAMP FACTS AS OF MAY 21, 2007

• Incident Management Team Personnel Includes (these personnel are running the base camp):
  Incident Commander
  Deputy Incident Commander
  Safety Officer
  Public Information Officer
  Planning Section Chief
  Logistics Section Chief (Base Camp Managers, Ground Support, Communications, Supply, Security, & Food Units)
  Finance Section Chief (Equip Time Recorder & Costs)
  2 Camp Crews (20 total)
• Catering unit: 1 - Capacity to feed up to 1,200 people
• Shower unit: 1 - Contains 18 shower stalls
• Sleeping tents: 40 - Each sleeps up to 8 people
• Housing provided: Sleeping average 269 responders from 36 agencies per night
• Laundry service: Local laundry service provided daily
• Meals provided: 15,737 - breakfasts, lunches and dinners
• Cost to date: $936,000

Emergency responders washing up before dinner at Davis Park Base Camp.