NJ Sends State Troopers To Help Puerto Rico After Earthquakes

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — “We will not forget about nuestra familia.” This pledge from Gov. Phil Murphy – which references the Spanish phrase for “our family” – was among a wave of rallying cries from elected officials as New Jersey prepares to send 50 state troopers to Puerto Rico.

On Tuesday, Murphy announced that a contingent of NJ State Troopers will soon be deployed to aid the U.S. commonwealth, which has been torn by a series of major earthquakes over the past weeks.

According to Murphy, a seven-member advance team will fly from Newark International Airport to San Juan International Airport on Wednesday. The team will obtain supplies at FEMA Headquarters in Caguas before traveling to the Ponce region of the island, where they will coordinate with local officials to prepare for the arrival of the full 50-trooper contingent, which leaves New Jersey on Saturday.

The troopers will return to the Garden State on Feb. 9, officials said.

While in Puerto Rico, the troopers will provide “force protection” at seven base camps that are currently housing between 2,000 and 5,000 residents on a daily basis. The police officers will be assigned to major traffic control posts within the city limits for the duration of the deployment, state officials said.

Assistance is provided through the Emergency Management Assistant Compact, a mutual aid agreement that allows states and territories to share resources in response to natural and man-made disasters, officials said.

• See related article: NJ Shelter Takes In 39 Pets After Puerto Rico Earthquakes

“Puerto Rico continues to be impacted by the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, and now the island is also facing the aftermath of devastating earthquakes, leaving many families displaced and without a sense of normalcy,” Murphy said.

“We will always stand with the people of Puerto Rico,” Murphy continued. “I have directed the New Jersey State Police to assist in emergency response efforts in order to help the people of Puerto Rico rebuild their homes and lives.”

State troopers last visited Puerto Rico in 2017 to help the island recover from Hurricane Maria.

• See related article: Officer Returns From Puerto Rico After Hurricane Recovery Effort

“Before we departed from the last of our deployments to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, we made a promise to local officials and residents that should they ever need us again, we would be there,” Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police said Tuesday.

“Today we are making good on that promise,” Callahan said.

REBUILDING A HOSPITAL

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York announced her office has received official word that FEMA approved a grant of $39.5 million for construction of a hospital on Vieques, an island off the Puerto Rican coast.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey trumpeted Velazquez's announcement in a Twitter post.

"Great news," Menendez wrote. "My colleagues and I have been pushing to reconstruct the Vieques public community health center—the ONLY hospital on the island. It’s been closed since suffering damage from #HurricaneMaria and this $ is long overdue."

"My office will continue to monitor the reconstruction of the Vieques public community health center," Menendez added. "The American citizens in #PuertoRico have been handed the short end of the stick too many times and deserve access to quality medical services."

PUERTO RICO DAY IN NEW JERSEY

In August 2019, Gov. Murphy signed a resolution that marks the third Sunday of September as annual "Puerto Rico Day" in New Jersey. It took effect immediately. (Read the full resolution)

The legislation cites Pew Research Center statistics, which say more than five million people of Puerto Rican origin live in the continental United States. In addition, according to the United States Census Bureau, Puerto Ricans account for 27.1 percent of the Latino population in New Jersey, the largest of any Latino group in the state.

Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz said the new day of celebration signifies the "unique relationship" the Garden State has with the island of Puerto Rico.

"It's a chance to celebrate the Puerto Rican people, language and culture and their many contributions to the state of New Jersey," said Ruiz, who represents the state’s 29th District, which includes Newark and Belleville. "As the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the Senate, it is an honor to have put forth legislation that continues to highlight one of our greatest assets in the state… our diversity."

• See related article: Essex County Lawmakers Praise State's New 'Puerto Rico Day'

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