Below you get a little indicator of the type of Incident Response mechanisms FEMA is using for this. I am not familiar with IMAT, but I am familiar with Incident Command, and that is exactly what will be used to coordinate these efforts. The best part is Australia is fully on board with Incident Command as well, and this is a prime example of using a universal command language and system to unify the effort. –Matt
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US, Australia lead Samoa relief mission
by Amy Coopes
Wed Sep 30, 2009
SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia, New Zealand and the United States led immediate pledges of assistance to the Samoan islands after a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami which killed dozens.
US President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in the remote Pacific territory American Samoa, where at least 14 people were killed when a massive wall of water swept over the US-administered island early Tuesday local time.
“The president tonight declared a major disaster exists in the territory of American Samoa and ordered federal aid to supplement territory and local recovery efforts in the area struck by an earthquake, tsunami, and flooding,” a statement from the White House said.