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Soto Cano launches damage assessment team to Belize

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Erika Yepsen
  • Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs
SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras --  SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras - Approximately 25 Airmen and Soldiers from Joint Task Force-Bravo here deployed to Belize Aug. 21 to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Dean. 

The Soto Cano assessment team is bringing multiple personnel to evaluate the amount of assistance needed from U.S. forces including search and rescue, medical, engineering and communications troops. 

"Joint Task Force-Bravo has the capability to provide everything from airlift assets to medical expertise to simple manpower to help move debris," said assessment team commander Army Maj. Michael Angell. "Our job is to take a look at the damage and evaluate what assets we have that Belize needs right now." 

The assessment team left Soto Cano within three hours of receiving orders to deploy from U.S. Southern Command. 

"We've been monitoring the progress of Hurricane Dean for quite a while now," said Lt. Col. Howard Jones, Joint Task Force-Bravo deputy commander. "In natural disasters like this, each minute counts, so we created a plan in advance to enable us to respond quickly." 

The assessment team will provide initial relief to the people of Belize and continue operations as long as they are needed.