Photo By Ralph Branson | Airmen with the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s Fatality Search and Recovery Team, part...... read more read more
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The 121st Air Refueling Wing Fatality Search and Recovery Team deployed to North Carolina from Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base Oct. 1, after being activated to support response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The team comprises nine Airmen and is part of the Ohio Homeland Response Force, one of 10 National Guard-sourced task forces nationwide established by the Department of Defense, with each aligning with at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) region. HRFs work alongside civil first responders, offering specialized skill sets including casualty assistance, search and extraction, decontamination, and medical triage and stabilization.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine activated the 121st FSRT to support North Carolina’s recovery from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Helene, said 1st Lt. Gregory Lee, the team’s officer-in-charge.
“The purpose of the fatality search and recovery team is to conduct incident site management, search, identification, recovery and processing of human remains in a mass casualty incident,” Lee said. “That’s the official description. However, in a nutshell, we return victims to their families with dignity and respect.”
Ohio’s governor authorized resources including deploying the 121st FSRT in response to North Carolina’s call for assistance through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement among U.S. states and territories that enables them to share their resources during responses to natural and man-made disasters.
“The damage caused by Hurricane Helene to Western North Carolina is immense, and we are continuing our unprecedented efforts to surge resources into affected communities,” said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. “We’re grateful to President Biden, FEMA and all of our federal partners for their support and commitment to helping our state respond, recover and rebuild from this disaster.”
Col. Andrew Powers, commander of the 121st Air Refueling Wing, emphasized the critical importance of readiness in a short-notice situation like this.
“Our Airmen maintain a very high state of readiness,” he said. “They’ve got their gear ready to load up and go in a moment’s notice, and that’s what they’re doing this morning.”
Lee said his team is capable of operating in austere environments utilizing their shelter tent kits, generators and satellite phones.
“People in the locality have not had running water or electricity in days, and entire towns flooded,” he said. “We’ve been outfitted with all the equipment we need to operate in this environment.”
Added Powers: “This is a moment for pride in the National Guard; it is truly that minuteman tradition that we’ve lived up to in our more than 400-year history of the oldest armed service in the United States,” Powers said. “You know, that ‘ready to go at a moment’s notice, ready to help fellow Americans at a time of great need.’ It’s very moving seeing this team heading out today to help others.”
Lee said this was the first time the team has deployed in its entirety.
“It’s an honor to represent Ohio and go out of state to conduct this solemn mission,” he said. “It means something very deeply; there are people in need missing their loved ones, and they want them back home.”
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.04.2024 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 482539 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 305 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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