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KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Members of the 403rd Wing’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron conducted their annual “Roll Out” mission to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season at their forward operating location in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, May 16-22.
The annual “Roll Out” event takes place over the course of a week as crews bring down equipment and parts that may be needed during the season, said 1st Lt. Leesa Froelich, 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer.
Detachment 53, at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix allows the Hurricane Hunters to reach storms in the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea they would not be able to access from their home station at Keesler, said Froelich.
Normally, storm taskings in the Atlantic basin are flown from St. Croix or Keesler and storms impacting the Hawaiian Islands are flown from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
The 2015 storm season saw a lot of activity in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. The 53rd WRS deployed to Hawaii on four occasions for six different storms including Hurricane Ignacio which was a strong category 4 storm.
But it wasn’t all quiet on the Atlantic side.
“We were busier than most people thought in the Atlantic,” said Froelich. “We were just very fortunate to not have a hurricane make landfall in the United States,” she said.
The team at Colorado State University, one of the top forecasting teams in the country, have predicted a just above average season with 12 named storms and six hurricanes for the Atlantic. The season begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Whether it meets or exceeds the predictions, the 53rd WRS will be ready.
These crews don’t get this mission done alone. Members from around the 403rd Wing, including the communications flight, aerial port, maintenance and security forces, come together to prepare the St. Croix location.
"It takes a little bit of every organization in the 403rd Wing to make this mission happen," said Lt. Col. Erik B. Olson, 53rd WRS pilot. "There are projects to be done from all specialties to make sure we are ready for the season. And, no matter what this season or any other holds in store, we will always be prepared to do our mission ... safely and professionally."
By the end of the Roll Out, 403rd Airmen had the facility ready to handle the workload of another hurricane season ensuring 53rd WRS hurricane hunters can quickly respond to any NHC tasking to assist their forecasters and save lives and property.
| Date Taken: | 05.24.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2016 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 215443 |
| Location: | KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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