In addition, Airmen from the 105th Airlift Wing, based in
Newburgh, deployed a satellite communications with seven personnel team using a
wing C-17 aircraft midday on Sunday, September 10 to Mississippi as part of the
Hurricane Irma response and support to the Florida National Guard. The Joint
Incident Site Communications Capability allows the Airmen to rapidly set up
internet, voice over IP and other communications capabilities during natural
and manmade disasters.
"As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida and its
neighbors, New York will continue to do all it can to provide resources and
assistance to these affected communities," Governor Cuomo said. "When
disaster and devastation have visited New York, our brothers and sisters from
across the nation stood by us and we will do the same for our friends in
need."
The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, with Army National Guard
aviation crews, will support the Florida National Guard's response efforts.
Three helicopters departed from the Latham facility, three from Rochester and
four from Ronkonkoma. The aircraft are capable of moving supplies or personnel
from confined locations or in areas with limited access. Six of the ten
helicopters are equipped with hoists.
The Soldiers on the mission are assigned to Alpha and Bravo
companies of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, based in Latham and Ronkonkoma,
respectively, and Charlie Company (Medical Evacuation) of the 1st Battalion,
171st Aviation in Rochester.
The team will initially be based at Florida Army National
Guard facilities in Jacksonville.
These elements follow the deployment Saturday, September 9
of a C-130 cargo plane from the Scotia-based 109th Airlift Wing with medical
supplies to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. That aircraft returns to New
York Sunday evening.
An additional HC-130 from the 106th Rescue Wing deployed
from Westhampton Beach, on Monday, September 11 to transport additional
response personnel from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Special Tactics
Squadron to Florida.
The New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen join 35
members of the NYTF-2 Urban Search and Rescue Team already forward deployed in
Florida. NYTF-2 is supporting Florida Emergency Services with water rescue
capabilities, employing six boats for water rescue operations, two tractor
trailers with equipment needed for urban search and rescue missions, and two
disaster search K-9 teams.
New York has a long history of helping other states
following natural disasters. In addition to sending similar assistance to
Florida following Hurricanes Matthew, Frances, Ivan, and Dennis, New York
dispatched a multi-agency team of more than 300 individuals to assist Louisiana
following Hurricane Katrina, as well as another 18-member team after Hurricane
Gustav. Additionally, New York has sent crews of firefighters west many times
to assist with containing wildfires.
