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MIDDLE RIVER, Md. - An airman from the 175th Wing collected supplies and volunteered to support Hurricane Helene relief through a non-profit organization assisting in western North Carolina, the week of October 8, 2024.
Maryland Air National Guard Master Sgt. Edward Krotz, a cyber warfare operator for the 275th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, responded to the severe damage to local communities of the western region of North Carolina, which resulted from Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane that occurred Sept. 24 to 29.
Krotz collected supplies from fellow airmen to donate to the people of Swannanoa and Black Mountain, North Carolina. Additionally, Krotz volunteered through Samaritan’s Purse and assisted with tree removal and tarping houses in Henderson and Fairview, North Carolina.
“It was great being part of a community effort where the greatest impact was seeing the relief on the homeowners' faces,” said Krotz. “Many had endured terrifying moments during the hurricane, unsure if the next falling tree would crash into their home and our presence gave them hope through the support we provided, both physically and emotionally.”
For Krotz, it was a natural decision to join the effort due to his understanding of the importance of service, instilled by his family at a young age.
“My grandfather would take me on missions as a kid with Habitat for Humanity to help build houses in Ethiopia and Hungary in the early 90s, so I was raised to lend a hand to those in need,” said Krotz. “Living just two hours from Asheville, I felt the need to help however I could.”
Krotz has served in the Air National Guard over a span of 24 years, across multiple states and career fields. He finally landed at the 175th Wing in 2018 to begin his career in cyber warfare operations. He and his family relocated to Charlottesville, North Carolina, in 2019, where he now works for a Fortune 100 company as a senior infosec incident response specialist on the Insider Threat Investigation Team.
“Master Sgt. Krotz exemplifies selfless leadership,” said Capt. Ashley Oates, flight commander of the 275th Cyber Operations Squadron. “He proactively organized donations from our unit and volunteered to travel to Asheville, NC, to support those affected by the recent storm and his unwavering commitment to help others during challenging times truly inspires us all.”
Once Krotz had witnessed the hurricane pass over his own home and saw news coverage of the devastation, he was inspired to help through relief aid from the recent hurricane in the area. Krotz gathered supplies to donate from other service members in his squadron while attending his regularly scheduled drill weekend in Maryland.
“I encouraged my squadron to donate additional supplies to help meet the growing need,” Krotz mentioned. “Thanks to their generosity, I was able to fill my car with water, diapers, and baby wipes, which were in short supply locally.”
The following week, Krotz set out to drive to Asheville, North Carolina and dropped off supplies in the community of Swannanoa. He found resources to volunteer relief aid through Samaritan’s Purse.
“I joined a team assigned to assist two elderly women who lived next to each other and we cleared several downed trees that had damaged the roof and side of a house,” Krotz said. “Later, we moved to another site where multiple trees had fallen between two homes and destroyed a fence line, so we cut the trees into manageable pieces and moved them to the curb for pickup.”
Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational Christian organization that provides worldwide aid through multiple avenues including disaster relief. They have coordinated a volunteer effort in response to Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, as well as Hurricane Milton in Florida, which occurred early October. Efforts have included removing mud from homes, tarping roofs, and cutting downed-trees.
“It was inspiring to see how the entire community came together offering hot meals, showers, laundry services and assistance,” Krotz acknowledged. “Seeing lineworkers restoring power alongside volunteers and organizations was a testament to the strength and compassion of the community.”
Since joining the National Guard, Krotz has learned through training that one of the key aspects of service involves preparing for any situation that could come next.
“I always carry a comprehensive trauma kit in my car, though thankfully, I didn’t need it,” mentioned Krotz. “Team communication, safety procedures, hydration, and taking breaks especially when dealing with chainsaws and heavy trees ensured no serious injuries.”
Most significantly, Krotz emphasized the importance of teamwork within a community and network to effectively accomplish the tasks at hand.
“The amount of work a motivated team can accomplish in a day is amazing,” said Krotz. “The impact wasn’t what I did personally, but achieved through being part of a greater community effort.”
Krotz’ involvement exemplifies the key characteristics of a guardsman through readiness for immediate response to assist a community in crisis. Additionally, taking the concept of “service before self” to a whole new level.
“There is still work to be done in these affected areas, so my service is ongoing,” Krotz said. “ ‘Service before self’ means service to our country, whether during a deployment or here at home, which includes our own countrymen in need.”
| Date Taken: | 10.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.25.2024 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 483964 |
| Location: | MIDDLE RIVER, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 98 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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