COTA evacuates over 200 during Typhoon Mangkhut

The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority evacuates residents to designated shelters in preparation for the impending landfall of Typhoon Mangkhut last week. (Contributed Photo)

The Commonwealth Office on Transit Authority evacuated 221 members of the community to and from designated emergency shelters before, during, and after Typhoon Mangkhut’s landfall in the Marianas.

According to Alfreda Camacho, special assistant for Public Transportation, there was much prior planning with transit operators, transit information specialists, and section administrative staff before the actual activation on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. 

“Once the official activation notice was made by Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres, COTA already activated its Agency Operations Center with our operations plan of action ready to execute and each of our team members knew which shift and role they would play,” Camacho said.

Camacho added that close collaboration with CNMI government agencies enabled COTA’s turnaround timeframe. 

“The willingness to serve and work together during such a critical time like what the CNMI experienced with Typhoon Mangkhut is really what public service is all about,” Camacho said.

Torres commended COTA for its foresight, recognizing its operations and management team as Federal Emergency Management Agency-certified Incident Command System responders.

“I recognize COTA’s role in assisting the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office under FEMA ESF-1 and commend these collaborative efforts while we continue recovery on the island of Rota and strengthen our emergency management and transit services,” Torres said. 

Torres explained that the Incident Command System is a management system designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure. ICS is normally structured to facilitate activities in five major functional areas: command, operations, planning, logistics, intelligence and investigations, finance and administration.

Camacho further noted that COTA and the Office of the Governor are prioritizing an Americans with Disabilities Act mobility equipped van for Rota and Tinian.

“We are diligently working on this with the Governor’s Authorized Representative, HSEM, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Finance for a possible emergency solicitation procurement to close that gap of not having any vehicles to assist with persons with disabilities and the elderly,” Camacho said.

COTA was created in order to develop a public transportation on Saipan to provide alternative transportation option and is currently located on the second floor of the Marianas Business Plaza in Suite 216.

For more information on COTA, visit www.facebook.com/COTASaipan or call (670) 664-2690. (COTA)