AFNORTH Airmen assisting with Gustav medevac

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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  Air Forces Northern Airmen here coordinated with numerous civilian and government agencies in Texas and Louisiana to assist with the evacuation of critical-care patients prior to Hurricane Gustav's landfall.

AFNORTH Airmen provide U.S. Northern Command with visibility on all Air Force assets available for medical evacuation such as Mobile Aero-Medical Staging Facilities, already in place at Beaumont, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; and Lake Front, La.

These MASFs provide the ability to receive, process, and support patients awaiting aeromedical evacuation by Air Force aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III or C-130 Hercules.

"We are using a total force team of active duty, Guard and Reserve forces to assist these critically-ill citizens evacuate to safety," said Maj. Gen Hank Morrow, AFNORTH commander. "We allow the NORTHCOM commander to effectively utilize all assets available to mitigate human suffering and prevent the loss of life."

USNORTHCOM people are working closely with local, state, and federal medical authorities to identify where the need is greatest.

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