The Coast Guard responds to search and rescue requests in Beaumont, Texas, on Aug. 30. “All disasters are local and they’re addressed initially by local authorities,” Gen. Hagler said, adding that the National Guard is designed to beef up that response as quickly as possible. National Guard and Defense Department units may take time to mobilize, but the Coast Guard, because it falls under the Department of Homeland Security and has bases in many of the places hit by storms, can shift and move resources easily. The Coast Guard exchanges liaison officers with other branches and works with FEMA to ensure close coordination, Adm. Brown said. “We’re not at all surprised that the Coast Guard and other resources frankly are stretched thin,” he said.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 10, 2017 20:26 UTC