Ill Winds: Air Force Reserve's Response to Hurricanes

24 Sep 05 A 452 nd AW (March ARB, CA) C-17 deployed PJs and equipment from
Patrick AFB, FL, to Randolph AFB, TX. The 920 th RQW (Patrick AFB,
FL) had five HH-60s in place at Randolph and later this day it deployed
one HC-130 from Patrick to Randolph. 194
24 Sep 05 A C-141 aircraft from the 445 th Airlift Wing returned to Wright-Patterson
AFB, OH, after evacuating 59 patients, including elderly Beaumont-area
nursing home residents and three newborn babies, before Hurricane Rita
struck Texas. Forty-two of the patients were on litters and one baby was
in an incubator. “We were the last plane, period, out of Beaumont,” said
Lt Col Steve Bastian, one of the three pilots from the 356 th Airlift
Squadron, 445 th Airlift Wing, who flew the evacuation mission. “The
airport and their tower were actually closed; however we were given
permission to take off and were monitored by Houston.” 195
24 Sep 05 A WC-130J mission was cancelled after Rita made landfall. 196
24 Sep 05 The total number of patients moved by AFRC aeromedical evacuation
members for Hurricane Rita Relief (Lackland AFB, TX, Crew Cell) was:
414 Litter, 157 Ambulatory, 29 Attendants. 197
24 Sep 05 The 917 th WG (Barksdale AFB, LA) completed Hurricane evacuation of
seven B-52 aircraft to Dyess AFB, TX. 198
24 Sep 05 A conference call between the President of the United States and a 403 rd
WG (Keesler AFB, MS) WC-130 was scheduled to take place. The call
was unsuccessful due to radio problems, but the crew was able to receive a
text message via satellite communications (SATCOM.) 199
26 Sep 05 Government officials credited better stockpiling of supplies, early
evacuations, and a larger military presence with saving lives during
Hurricane Rita. 200
26 Sep 05 Two HH-60s deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, to Randolph AFB,
TX, and one HC-130 deployed from Patrick AFB, FL, to Randolph AFB,
TX. 201
194 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
195 Article (U), TSGT Charles K. Miller, 445 th PA, “Wing Members Evacuate Patients from Rita’s Path,”
Buckeye Flyer, vol. 44, no. 11, (November 2005).
196 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
197 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
198 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
199 Bfg (S), “AFRC SITBRIEF,” 28 Sep 05, material used is UNCLASSIFIED.
200 Art (U), “Officials: Rita Response Used Lessons Learned from Katrina,” USA Today, 26 Sep 05,
available at http://www.usatoday.com/rita-katrina-lessons_x.htm on 21 Nov 05.
201 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
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