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On the afternoon of October 10, Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, devastated the Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and the surrounding area, causing serious damage to its passage.
Airmen from the 821st Emergency Response Group at Travis Air Force Base, California, received the call for alert the next day. In less than 12 hours, a small initial assessment team headed to the door via a Globemaster III C-17 to assess damage to the airfield.
After examining the damage, a C-17 from the Washington-McChord base in Washington carried a larger emergency response component of nearly 50 airmen. There was also equipment and supplies needed to recover the airflow and rebuild the base.
"Our primary mission is to help restore Tyndall Air Force Base by facilitating the implementation of important support programs from several organizations," said Lieutenant-Colonel Troy Pierce, Commander of the CRE .
Hurricane Michael caused winds blowing up to 150 mph, significantly damaging all the structures of the base.
"Our base requires extensive cleaning and repair," said Colonel Brian Laidlaw, commanding officer of 325th Fighter Squadron. "We need to restore basic public services, rid our roads of trees and power lines, and assess the structural integrity of our buildings."
The Air Force has developed a rapid set of expeditionary resources for the airport to help restore base operations.
A BEAR package has the ability to restore and repair many Air Force assets. The motto "At your command, it's ready!", C is a world-class team composed of various professionals from across the Air Force, who provides mission-ready equipment for power and reach. world.
As supplies continue to arrive, CR airmen control air traffic from various locations, unload cargo and move it to a transit area to support Hurricane Michael's relief efforts.
Pierce commented on the devastation at the grassroots level and said the reconstruction phase would take a long time.
"The recovery will be slow, but everyone involved is up to the task," said Pierce. "You improve things every day and, like any big challenge, I know that the response teams and the base will recover in time."
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by Hurricane Michael," he continued. "I know it will be an emotional challenge to go home and see the base not as you left it. We are here for you and wish you the best of luck in recovering from this catastrophic event. "
Air Mobility Command equipment and personnel are ready around the country to provide even more support on demand.
"We are aware that the world is unpredictable," said General Maryanne Miller, commander of the CMA. "Mobility Airmen are proud of their ability to continually respond to many high-priority, simultaneous missions, while maintaining the support needed for the commands of global fighters."
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