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TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Approximately 60 personnel from the 821st Contingency Response Group and 60th Medical Group returned back to Travis Air Force Base, California, recently after supporting civil authorities in Hurricane Irma relief efforts in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
From the initial days after the disaster to current, ongoing efforts, multiple teams from Travis worked together to provide rapid, continuous humanitarian aid to those affected in Florida and the Caribbean.
“There is an incredible amount of work that goes into any one of these missions,” said Lt. Col. Blaine Baker, 821st Contingency Response Squadron commander. “Getting out the door was a colossal effort between the (contingency response wing) and 60th (Air Mobility Wing).”
The 821st CRG worked hand-in-hand with the 60th AMW to prepare for its mission to Marathon Key, Florida.
“We have to prepare personnel to make sure all their requirements to deploy are met in time and also our equipment,” said Baker. “There’s a lot of time and effort that needs to be put in, to make sure our equipment is prepared, making sure that it is working correctly, operating well, and then, to make sure that it’s ready to get on an aircraft and loaded as soon as possible.”
The 821st CRG facilitated relief supplies coming in and distributed them out to the Florida Keys while also working alongside U.S. Marines who provided fuel for the helicopters and National Guard Soldiers who provided air traffic control support.
“Our mission out there was to take our personnel and establish air mobility operations, the capability to upload and download military aircraft as well as to provide air traffic control spacing and deconfliction to ensure all the aircraft could operate safely at Marathon (International Airport),” said Baker. “In a very short time, we were able to download and distribute over 29,000 cases of water and Meals-Ready-to-Eat to the local population. That was very fulfilling. The local community was incredibly supportive and appreciative and a very humbling experience to be a part of that and see a vibrant and resilient community in Marathon Key.”
Additionally, a 23-person team from the 60th MDG worked with Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the local port authority and the National Guard to evacuate 32 patients in critical condition from Roy Lester Schneider Region Medical Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to St. Croix. Ten U.S. Navy helicopters transported the 32 patients and four evacuees.
“I’ve been doing aeromedical evacuation for a little over 12 years and I absolutely love it,” said Lt. Col. Tanya Yelverton, 60th Medical Support Squadron medical service corps officer and en-route patient staging team commander. “Anything I can do to help and to be part of this mission and to help people in need, especially after such a big hurricane that took out the hospital. These patients needed to be evacuated right away, we’re talking about the lives of patients. It means the world to me to be a part of this, I’m very grateful.”
There, the team staged and cared for the patients until they were prepared to be moved. Ten of the patients were moved to Puerto Rico on a Travis C-17. The other 22 patients and four evacuees were moved via FEMA planes to Puerto Rico.
“It was an incredible experience to see a need and meet that need for our fellow Americans,” said Baker. “We are watching Hurricane Maria now and making sure we are postured and that we have the capability to respond as needed.”
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 09.28.2017 18:42 |
| Story ID: | 249972 |
| Location: | TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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