McChord Airmen fly response team to Samoa

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kirsten Wicker
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  In the wake of a 7.6 magnitude undersea earthquake that caused a devastating tsunami to strike American Samoa, McChord Airmen, on-alert to support any tasking associated with a mounting relief effort, deployed a U.S.-based FEMA team to the region at 2 p.m. Thursday aboard a C-17 Globemaster III.

"We're very, very proud to participate in this operation," said Col Kevin Kilb, 62nd Airlift Wing commander. "It's what we do. We're capable of doing this any time, with very little notice. We're flying directly to American Samoa, we'll aerial refuel enroute, and we'll be on the ground by midnight, our time."

Airmen transported a 9-man FEMA team and their tele-communications and logistics equipment to the region. The FEMA personnel are part of the Seattle-based FEMA Global Emergency Response Support team.

"We could not do this without the U.S. Air Force at McChord providing the air frame to the get this emergency response equipment and team to the people in Samoa in need of aid, said Mr. Lee Champange, GERS director.

"We are re-establishing communications that had been wiped out," Mr. Champange said. "The Air Force is transporting our computers, video equipment, tele-communications equipment and logistical equipment so we can set up to conduct a response and recover."

According to Colonel Kilb, refueling in-air allows McChord Airmen to quickly depart American Samoa without additional ground refueling, quickly clearing the airfield for additional relief aircraft.

"Easing suffering is an extremely gratifying mission, said Colonel Kilb. "This is the most capable airlifter in the world for this and many other missions, and humanitarian relief is one of the most satisfying missions we fly."

Multiple McChord Airmen and C-17s remain postured for additional relief taskings.