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ANG rescue teams save 19 civilians following Hurricane Florence

  • Published Sept. 18, 2018
  • By Capt. Matt Murphy
  • Air National Guard Public Affairs
SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. (AFNS) --   Air National Guard Search and Rescue teams from Alaska and New York conducted operations Sept. 17, in North Carolina's Sampson and Clinton Counties, resulting in 19 lives saved.

Staged in Ocean, Virginia, Alaska ANG Master Sgt. Cody Inman, pararescue team lead, 212th Rescue Squadron, said his team was notified of a mission around 12:30 p.m. from the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center.

"The [rescue] force launched in two HH-60 Pavehawks with a couple of C-130s to go rescue and recover isolated civilians," said Inman. "It was a cool thing to witness all the state Guard teams coming together to help those in need."

Inman added the team worked with local firefighters and other federal authorities to coordinate the operations and deliver the rescued citizens to a nearby medical center.

hurricane florence resuce Humanitarian search and rescue 176th Wing 211th Rescue Squadron Air National Guard ANG Alaska ANG NY ANG pararescue HH-60 recovery

Related Links

  • Alaska Guardsmen Conduct Rescue Operations in North Carolina

    Alaska Air National Guardsmen from the 176th Wing conduct rescue operations near Sampson, N.C., Sept. 17, 2018. The Guardsmen conducted site surveys and performed aerial refueling with a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and transported 212th RQS personnel to assist with recovering isolated flood survivors via a California ANG’s 129th Wing HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter crewed by members of the 210th RQS. Guardsmen from the 176th Operations Support Squadron and 176th Maintenance Squadron conducted behind the scenes tasks at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., making rescue operations possible. Run Time: 05:13.
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