BROOKLYN, New York – A contingent of Midland emergency responders will return home Wednesday, Jan. 16, after a three-week assignment assisting residents affected by Hurricane Sandy in New York.

The employees are part of the 39-member Lone Star State Incident Management Team (IMT) requested by the New York Office of Emergency Management to coordinate the Army National Guard’s daily home assessment and commodity distribution effort. The team was responsible for areas of Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island that included more than 102,000 households.

The Guard has provided 6,352 blankets, 41,730 meals, 3,359 cases of water and 810 electric heaters to residents in need since Sandy hit the Big Apple in late October. Residents also are being offered a warm, safe, private place to stay.

Although the Texas team is homeward bound, recovery efforts will continue. The Fire Department of New York IMT will transition with the Lone Star team on Tuesday and assume coordination responsibilities the following day.

You can follow updates at http://texasamforestservice.wordpress.com/