The National Guard, Air Nationla Guard & Coast Guard are used in disaster relief. They are trained for that duty.
A firefighter walks through the remains of homes devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy at the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough in New York October 30, 2012. Millions of people were left reeling in the aftermath of the whipping winds and heavy rains of the massive storm Sandy on Tuesday as New York City and many parts of the eastern United States struggled with epic flooding and extensive power outages. *******/Keith Bedford
Members of the FDNY work on a fire among homes devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough of New York October 30, 2012. Millions of people across the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to scenes of destruction wrought by monster storm Sandy, which knocked out power to huge swathes of the nation's most densely populated region, swamped New York's subway system and submerged streets in Manhattan's financial district. *******/Shannon Stapleton
Residents look at homes devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy at the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough in New York October 30, 2012. Millions of people were left reeling in the aftermath of the whipping winds and heavy rains of the massive storm Sandy on Tuesday as New York City and many parts of the eastern United States struggled with epic flooding and extensive power outages. *******/Keith Bedford
Firefighters look at flood waters left from Hurricane Sandy at the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough in New York October 30, 2012. Millions of people were left reeling in the aftermath of the whipping winds and heavy rains of the massive storm Sandy on Tuesday as New York City and many parts of the eastern United States struggled with epic flooding and extensive power outages. *******/Keith Bedford
Bystanders survey the 700-ton John B. Caddell tanker on the north shore of Staten Island, New York, October 30th, 2012. The tanker ran agound Monday night from the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy. Millions of people across the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to scenes of destruction wrought by the monster storm which knocked out power to hugh swathes of the nation's densely populated region. *******/Michael Berrigan
Bystanders survey the 700-ton John B. Caddell tanker on the north shore of Staten Island, New York, October 30th, 2012. The tanker ran aground Monday night from the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy. Millions of people across the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to scenes of destruction wrought by the monster storm which knocked out power to hugh swathes of the nation's densely populated region. *******/Michael Berrigan
Utility crews work to restore power on transmission lines carrying 230,000 volts of electrical power to Atlantic City, that were damaged from the high winds of Hurricane Sandy in Pleasantville, New Jersey, October 30, 2012. Millions of people across the eastern United States awoke on Tuesday to scenes of destruction wrought by monster storm Sandy, which knocked out power to huge swathes of the nation's most densely populated region, swamped New York's subway system and submerged streets in Manhattan's financial district. *******/Tom Mihalek
A Port Authority Police SUV makes its way through flood waters covering roads leading toward Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, October 30, 2012. Millions were left reeling in the aftermath of monster storm Sandy as New York City and a wide swath of the eastern United States struggled with epic flooding and massive power outages. The death toll climbed to at least 30. *******/Chelsea Emery
Homes are flooded after Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the southern New Jersey coastline in this U.S. Coast Guard handout photo in Tuckerton, New Jersey, October 30, 2012. In the storm's wake, Obama issued federal emergency decrees for New York and New Jersey, declaring that "major disasters" existed in both states. One disaster-forecasting company predicted economic losses could ultimately reach $20 billion (12.4 billion pounds), only half insured. *******/U.S.Coast Guard/Handout
Damage after Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the southern New Jersey coastline is seen in this U.S. Coast Guard handout photo in Brigantine, New Jersey, October 30, 2012. In the storm's wake, Obama issued federal emergency decrees for New York and New Jersey, declaring that "major disasters" existed in both states. One disaster-forecasting company predicted economic losses could ultimately reach $20 billion (12.4 billion pounds), only half insured. *******/U.S.Coast Guard/Petty Officer 2nd Class Erik Swanson/Handout