Savannah River Site contractors are supporting local community relief efforts following Tropical Storm Helene | Aiken Area News

As part of a collaborative effort to support local relief agencies recovering from Hurricane Helen, nearly 40,000 MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) were recently distributed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Department of Energy Savannah River and Savannah River. Nuclear solutions. In addition, SRNS contributed $50,000 to American Red Cross chapters serving Central South Carolina and East Central Georgia.

As part of its business continuity plan, the Savannah River Site (SRS) maintains a stockpile of IMNs to support essential operations during emergency situations.

“The MREs were originally purchased as a contingency to support operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and, if not used, would have expired in January,” said Michael Mikolanis, NNSA-Savannah River Field Office Manager. “This has been a wonderful no-fail support for our local community, providing more than 39,000 meals to agencies and first responders working to recover from Hurricane Helen.”

“It’s amazing to see all of us come together to successfully navigate this crisis and complete a 24-hour delivery of MREs,” said Tammy Rhimes, SRNS Senior Director of Supply Chain Operations and Programs. “The process of preparing, loading and transporting the meals to each agency was truly inspiring.”

SRNS Supply Chain Management received support from Site Services Transportation and SRS Fire Service to expedite transportation to various locations. IMN recipients were North Augusta Community Center, Aiken Regional Medical Center, Augusta University, MCG WellStar, East Central Georgia Public Health District, Burke County Emergency Management, South Carolina Fire Academy and Allendale Emergency Management.

“The leadership demonstrated by NNSA, DOE-SR, and SRNS is second to none and essential to the success of SRS. We recognize that our employees and community are still recovering from the devastating effects of Helen,” said Mike Budney, DOE-Savannah River Operations Division Manager. “It’s more than just food; it reflects our commitment to helping those affected and continues to support the brave first responders who work tirelessly to help.”