Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA2955
2005-09-03 11:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
TFUS01: AUSTRIAN OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE FOR
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002955
SIPDIS
STATE FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND EUR/AGS
JOINT STAFF FOR J-5/EUR - CDR SQUIRES
DHS FOR FEMA/OIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT US AU
SUBJECT: TFUS01: AUSTRIAN OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE FOR
HURRICANE KATRINA, 9/3/05 -- WATER PURIFICATION,
DECONTAMINATION, SAR, SECURITY FORCES
REF: STATE 162270
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002955
SIPDIS
STATE FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND EUR/AGS
JOINT STAFF FOR J-5/EUR - CDR SQUIRES
DHS FOR FEMA/OIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT US AU
SUBJECT: TFUS01: AUSTRIAN OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE FOR
HURRICANE KATRINA, 9/3/05 -- WATER PURIFICATION,
DECONTAMINATION, SAR, SECURITY FORCES
REF: STATE 162270
1. Summary: Top Austrian officials have made specific
offers to the Ambassador for disaster assistance. The
Austrian military has made a specific offer of a Disaster
Relief group to provide capabilities including water
purification, decontamination, and search and rescue support.
In addition, the Interior Minister has offered its elite
"COBRA" police unit to provide security. Private Austrians
are also offering in-kind and financial assistance, End
summary.
--------------
Military Disaster Relief
--------------
2. On September 2, Chief of the Austrian General Staff GEN
Ertl offered the Ambassador all possible assistance. On
September 3, the Austrian Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Defense
School made a specific offer of the deployment of a Disaster
Relief unit to provide specialized assistance. Key elements
of the capabilities Austria is offering are water
purification, chemical and hygenic decontamination, and urban
search and rescue units. The Austrian deployment would be
self-sufficient on the ground, bringing its own water, food
and medical support, and Austrian personnel speak excellent
English. The Austrians would try to lease airlift for
transatlantic transport, but may request lift assistance if
they are unable to obtain aircraft at short notice.
Text of the Austrian offer follows:
NBC Defense School Headquarters, Korneuburg, 02 Sept. 2005
Capabilities
AFDRU/US Disaster Relief Expert Group:
Personnel: 26 Disaster Relief Experts
HQ squad with contingent Commander, 1 Liaison Officer and 1
Communication Team.
Expert Group: 1 medical doctor, 1 veterinarian, 1 chemist, 1
biologist, 1 construction engineer and 1 logistician.
The expert group is reinforced by 4 mobile assessment and
support teams (each consisting of 1 disaster management
expert, 1 search and rescue expert and 1 paramedic; All of
the m are experienced from many worldwide relief missions and
from their daily business as experts, trainers or in command
function).
AFDRU/US Disaster Relief Technical Unit
Personnel: approx. 100 troops:
HQ squad includes an air liaison cell, a communication and a
documentation team,
1 Expert Group: 1 MD and 4 disaster management specialists.
1 Field laboratory: 1 chemist, 1 veterinarian and 1 biologist
1 Medical squad: 1 MD with emergency experience and 6
paramedics.
The operational teams are organized in:
1 water purification squad: 3 water purification systems
(reverse osmosis) with a daily capacity of 40,000 l. and 1
wate rsupport team equipped with high pressure pumps and hose
material.
2 decontamination squads: for disinfection, hyginee and the
clean up of mud-contaminated infrastructure. Each squad
consists of two decon-systems and one water support team.
1 Technical support squad: 6 USAR (Urban Search and Rescue)
specialists with medium detection and rescue equipment
(electric and hydraulic systems) and 2 rescue boats with
outboard machinery.
The disaster relief expert group and the technical support
squad are available separately or in a combined mission
version. The necessary transport capacity will be rented at
the arrival airport. Equipment can be loaded on Pick-Ups.
Contact numbers:
BrigGen Norbert Fuerstenhofer: (cell phone) 43-664 182-2765,
acabws@bmlv.gv.at
Col. Christoph Konicek: (cell phone) 43-664 376-5068,
acabws@bmlv.gv.at
End text.
An additional POC for this offer is Martin Beck, an Austrian
military reservist who is a member of the US Embassy in
Vienna's Regional Security Office. Beck is available at cell
phone 43-664-838-4304, or through the US Embassy operator at
43-1-31339-0.
--------------
Offer of Police Assistance
--------------
4. On September 3, Interior Minister Liese Prokop called the
Ambassador to offer the deployment of the Austrian elite
police unit, the so-called "COBRA" team. The COBRA unit is a
special protection force designed to create and enforce order
and provide citizen and dignitary protection. The unit is
self-sufficient and its members speak English. Transport to
the crisis region would likely be via commercial air.
--------------
Private Offers
--------------
5..In addition to the above offers, which we refer to the
Task Force and FEMA for consideration, private Austrian
citizens have offered in-kind and financial assistance. We
have referred enquiries to the Embassy website, which has
contact information for donations.
---
POC
6. Embassy Vienna POC is Economic-Political Counselor
Gregory E. Phillips, reachable through the Embassy's 24-hour
switchboard at 43-1-31339-0. Alternate phones:
43-1-367-4404 (home),43-664-423-7596 (cell). State unclas
e-mail (accessible during duty hours): PhillipsGE@state.gov.
Private commercial e-mail (accessable during non-duty
hours): gephillips@usa.net
Brown
SIPDIS
STATE FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND EUR/AGS
JOINT STAFF FOR J-5/EUR - CDR SQUIRES
DHS FOR FEMA/OIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT US AU
SUBJECT: TFUS01: AUSTRIAN OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE FOR
HURRICANE KATRINA, 9/3/05 -- WATER PURIFICATION,
DECONTAMINATION, SAR, SECURITY FORCES
REF: STATE 162270
1. Summary: Top Austrian officials have made specific
offers to the Ambassador for disaster assistance. The
Austrian military has made a specific offer of a Disaster
Relief group to provide capabilities including water
purification, decontamination, and search and rescue support.
In addition, the Interior Minister has offered its elite
"COBRA" police unit to provide security. Private Austrians
are also offering in-kind and financial assistance, End
summary.
--------------
Military Disaster Relief
--------------
2. On September 2, Chief of the Austrian General Staff GEN
Ertl offered the Ambassador all possible assistance. On
September 3, the Austrian Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Defense
School made a specific offer of the deployment of a Disaster
Relief unit to provide specialized assistance. Key elements
of the capabilities Austria is offering are water
purification, chemical and hygenic decontamination, and urban
search and rescue units. The Austrian deployment would be
self-sufficient on the ground, bringing its own water, food
and medical support, and Austrian personnel speak excellent
English. The Austrians would try to lease airlift for
transatlantic transport, but may request lift assistance if
they are unable to obtain aircraft at short notice.
Text of the Austrian offer follows:
NBC Defense School Headquarters, Korneuburg, 02 Sept. 2005
Capabilities
AFDRU/US Disaster Relief Expert Group:
Personnel: 26 Disaster Relief Experts
HQ squad with contingent Commander, 1 Liaison Officer and 1
Communication Team.
Expert Group: 1 medical doctor, 1 veterinarian, 1 chemist, 1
biologist, 1 construction engineer and 1 logistician.
The expert group is reinforced by 4 mobile assessment and
support teams (each consisting of 1 disaster management
expert, 1 search and rescue expert and 1 paramedic; All of
the m are experienced from many worldwide relief missions and
from their daily business as experts, trainers or in command
function).
AFDRU/US Disaster Relief Technical Unit
Personnel: approx. 100 troops:
HQ squad includes an air liaison cell, a communication and a
documentation team,
1 Expert Group: 1 MD and 4 disaster management specialists.
1 Field laboratory: 1 chemist, 1 veterinarian and 1 biologist
1 Medical squad: 1 MD with emergency experience and 6
paramedics.
The operational teams are organized in:
1 water purification squad: 3 water purification systems
(reverse osmosis) with a daily capacity of 40,000 l. and 1
wate rsupport team equipped with high pressure pumps and hose
material.
2 decontamination squads: for disinfection, hyginee and the
clean up of mud-contaminated infrastructure. Each squad
consists of two decon-systems and one water support team.
1 Technical support squad: 6 USAR (Urban Search and Rescue)
specialists with medium detection and rescue equipment
(electric and hydraulic systems) and 2 rescue boats with
outboard machinery.
The disaster relief expert group and the technical support
squad are available separately or in a combined mission
version. The necessary transport capacity will be rented at
the arrival airport. Equipment can be loaded on Pick-Ups.
Contact numbers:
BrigGen Norbert Fuerstenhofer: (cell phone) 43-664 182-2765,
acabws@bmlv.gv.at
Col. Christoph Konicek: (cell phone) 43-664 376-5068,
acabws@bmlv.gv.at
End text.
An additional POC for this offer is Martin Beck, an Austrian
military reservist who is a member of the US Embassy in
Vienna's Regional Security Office. Beck is available at cell
phone 43-664-838-4304, or through the US Embassy operator at
43-1-31339-0.
--------------
Offer of Police Assistance
--------------
4. On September 3, Interior Minister Liese Prokop called the
Ambassador to offer the deployment of the Austrian elite
police unit, the so-called "COBRA" team. The COBRA unit is a
special protection force designed to create and enforce order
and provide citizen and dignitary protection. The unit is
self-sufficient and its members speak English. Transport to
the crisis region would likely be via commercial air.
--------------
Private Offers
--------------
5..In addition to the above offers, which we refer to the
Task Force and FEMA for consideration, private Austrian
citizens have offered in-kind and financial assistance. We
have referred enquiries to the Embassy website, which has
contact information for donations.
---
POC
6. Embassy Vienna POC is Economic-Political Counselor
Gregory E. Phillips, reachable through the Embassy's 24-hour
switchboard at 43-1-31339-0. Alternate phones:
43-1-367-4404 (home),43-664-423-7596 (cell). State unclas
e-mail (accessible during duty hours): PhillipsGE@state.gov.
Private commercial e-mail (accessable during non-duty
hours): gephillips@usa.net
Brown