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Aviators rescue hundreds of Katrina evacuees

By Senior Airman Thomas Kielbasa
September 3, 2005

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Army News Service, Sept. 3, 2005) -– Florida Army National Guard aviators have transported nearly 600 evacuees from areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Soldiers from the Jacksonville-based 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, and the Brooksville-based 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, are flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter into the devastated areas and transporting evacuees to areas less damaged by the hurricane.

The Category 4 Hurricane Katrina, which struck south Louisiana on Aug. 29, has caused catastrophic devastation to the area and prompted an ongoing multi-agency, multi-state relief effort.

According to the Florida National Guard State Aviation Office, seven Florida helicopters are conducting hurricane relief operations in the affected areas, and have already helped transport 597 evacuees between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.

“All of those missions were conducted in just a short span of time – a few days after the hurricane landed,” Aviation Operations Officer Capt. Randy McCreary explained. “The Florida National Guard helicopters were among those shown on national news stations hoisting evacuees up from floodwaters and rooftops to safety.”

As of Sept. 1, the crews and their helicopters have also helped transport 1,824 gallons of water and 2,200 pounds of Meals Ready to Eat.

More than 450 Florida Guardsmen are scheduled to deploy over the weekend to link up with the growing military presence in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Nearly 20 Florida National Guard Special Forces Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group are currently assisting with rescue and recovery efforts south of New Orleans, and more are scheduled to join the recovery missions.

Other updates on the hurricane-recovery operation were provided by military officials:

 Almost 22,000 National Guard members are in place providing security, assisting with food and water distribution, and conducting search and rescue missions in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

 Over the next few days, that number will rise to nearly 30,000 as the Guard continues to deploy personnel and equipment to the hardest hit areas.

 6,500 National Guard troops poured into the greater New Orleans area to help restore order and continue relief operations.

 More than 320,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen from every state, as well as their equipment, are available to support emergency operations if needed, offials said.


 More than 400 members of the Army Corps of Engineers are on site in New Orleans, working to repair the city’s levee system and removing floodwaters from the city.

 The Corps is also working on plans to establish temporary housing for thousands of displaced residents and working to restore navigation in the area.

(Editor's note: Senior Airman Thomas Kielbasa serves with Florida National Guard Public Affairs.)