JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Airmen from the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst partnered with the New Jersey State Police and Emergency Medical Services Task Force to transport first responders and equipment to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Oct. 1, 2017.
This is the first time the NJ State Police and EMS Task Force has partnered with the military for transportation. Of the five C-17 Globemaster III aircraft needed to move their personnel and supplies, two of them were provided by the 305th AMW.
“We continuously prepare for contingencies ranging from full-scale war to humanitarian relief,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Darren Cole, 305th AMW commander. “It is extremely gratifying knowing that every piece of cargo we process; every aircraft we generate; and every sortie we fly is directly helping our citizens and our nation in a time of dire need.”
The Task Force used Joint Base MDL as a staging and loading location for all five aircraft that carried police, emergency medical personnel and their supplies to aid the islands in recovering from the two devastating hurricanes.
The mission began Sunday morning when members of the Task Force received the call to mobilize. They assembled at Joint Base MDL where they were processed and loaded by the 305th Aerial Port Squadron. Airmen ensured that the equipment was safely balanced and anchored before being sent on its first military flight. The first two planes left Sunday with cargo and passengers. The final cargo was sent Tuesday night.
“This is the first time that these agencies have been requested by FEMA outside the state of N.J., and the first time these units have gone through the military airlift system,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Robert Kent, 305th Aerial Port Squadron operations officer. “Because these units have no experience with military airlift, we have provided a lot of our experts to them to help prepare all the equipment for air movement, so they can get to the affected areas to complete their mission.”
When the task force arrives at the island, they will integrate with the Virgin Islands’ teams to help them care for people and get reorganized. After two hurricanes in as many weeks, the first responders expect to provide care to people who have not yet received any in hard to reach locations.
“We’re taking what’s called ASAPs; they’re off-road ambulances,” said Michael Divito Jr. a leader of the N.J. EMS Task Force. “They took generators. They took an oxygen generation, some tents for our personnel, hygiene stuff. We basically are coming self-sufficient so we can set up our own camp and not have to put any burden further on the island systems.”
Even though the islands’ hospitals and medical response teams are devastated and the locals are still trying to rebuild, Divito and his team look forward to going to the Caribbean and lending their support.
“I just think it’s a good opportunity for the stuff we’ve trained for over the years to actually put it to use and be able to help somebody else out,” said Divito.