Seafarers help medical personnel fight the spread of Ebola in West Africa
The fourth arm of defense is once again extended in an offer of assistance, this time to help medical personnel fight the spread of Ebola in West Africa as part of Operation United Assistance.
Both theCape Rise andCape Wrath, SIU-contracted Ready Reserve Force (RRF) ships, are deploying to U.S. installations in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, which are the areas most affected by the virus. TheCape Wrath is operated by Crowley, and theCape Rise is operated by Keystone.
The SIU crew of theCape Rise includes BosunWalter Ritvalsky, ABsClay Brown,Jonathan Davis,Joel Harris andCorrie Stockton, QEEJames Atwell, WiperOlympia Harley, OMUsMichael Jones andStravon Jordan, GVAsArthur Bailey andTyree Watkins, Steward/BakerArmy Leake, Chief CookWilliam Perry, and SAsMarsheta Brooks andEdward Smigielski.
Seafarers serving on theWrath include Recertified BosunWilliam Dowzicky, ABsAristotle Bone,Edsel Renegado,Brooke English,John Salarda,Felix Somorostro,Terry HesterandMariette Wright, OSJames Porter, QE4sCarmus Peet andThomas Hawks, QE3sArchie Eldridge andRobert Oppel, GVAsEric Johnson andMa Marilynda Nance, Steward/BakerRobert Brown, Chief CookManuel Daguio, and SAsNicholas Keating andDanilo Valencia.
Before crossing the Atlantic, theCape Rise made port in Beaumont, Texas, to pick up supplies from the U.S. Army’s 842nd Division. The cargo included around 1,000 Humvees, dump trucks, forklifts, and other wheeled equipment. This machinery will be used to build hospitals in West Africa.
Meanwhile, in Jacksonville, Florida, theCape Wrath was picking up more than 700 additional pieces of equipment, including water purification trucks, refrigeration, and fuel storage and command and control vehicles. In addition to the equipment, up to 3,000 U.S. troops will deploy to the region from various Army bases, down from the initial estimate of 4,000. TheCape Wrath also got a visit from Rear Adm. T.K. Shannon, commander of the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC).
To help clear up any misinformation about what the crews should expect while in West Africa, the MSC provided detailed, precautionary information before the SIU-crewed ships sailed overseas.
The vessels may take up to three weeks to get to West Africa. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that the overall mission will likely last 18 months, though it is unknown how long the RRF ships will be involved.
Source: Seafarers International Union
