Air Force BEAR Base deploys supporting JTF-Katrina

  • Published
  • By James Matise
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M (AFPN) --  Airmen with the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group here began deploying in support of Joint Task Force-Katrina, the massive relief effort directed at providing humanitarian aid to Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The 49th MMG, the only Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources Base group in the Air Force, is deploying four BEAR Base sets and about 50 people to oversee setup operations.

BEAR Base sets include tents, kitchens, dining facilities, shower and latrine facilities, power generators and reverse osmosis water purification systems.

The 49th MMG received the deployment tasking Sept. 2. On Sept. 4, four C-5 Galaxy cargo planes and about 30 people had left, and another six to 10 cargo aircraft were expected to leave, said 49th Fighter Wing’s disaster control center officials. Each C-5 has a cargo capacity of about six Greyhound buses, and each BEAR Base set fills three to four C-5s.

The sets are being airlifted primarily to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, La. Some assets are being sent by truck to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and may be diverted to Keesler AFB, Miss., said Lt. Col. Steven Peters, 49th MMG deputy commander.

Each set can provide the basic needs for about 500 people. The only additional requirements are a place to set up and a source of water, said Col. Michael Arnold, 49th MMG commander.

"We're shipping it by trucks, we're shipping it by airplane -- we're shipping it by anything we can get out of Holloman," Colonel Arnold said. "As soon as we have a site we can set up on, we go in over a day or two and have it set up in a week or two."

The BEAR Base sets will provide facilities for about 2,000 people. The facilities most likely will be used by relief workers, but may be used by hurricane evacuees if necessary, Colonel Arnold said.

"This (BEAR Base) is primarily set up for supporting combat operations," Colonel Arnold said. "In this case, this base is perfect for humanitarian needs because it has the basic needs."

One of the most important functions of BEAR Base is its reverse osmosis water purification systems, which can take most nonpotable water and turn it into water that is safe to drink. Reverse osmosis units are being concentrated at the New Orleans airport because there is no source of drinkable water in the city, Colonel Arnold said.

"One reverse osmosis unit can make 600 gallons of water an hour," he said.

About 14 people are deploying with each set, and will meet up with civil engineer units deployed from other locations, which will help BEAR Base Airmen set up the facilities, Colonel Peters said.

"Depending on the size of the team and depending on the conditions, it's going to take a week or more to get the structures up,” he said.

The maintenance group is currently expected to remain deployed for about 30 days.