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The 920th Rescue Wing relocates aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew

/ Published October 05, 2016

Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, are relocating the wing's rescue helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew’s projected path northeastward along Florida’s east coast. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)
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Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, are relocating the wing's rescue helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew’s projected path northeastward along Florida’s east coast. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, are relocating the wing's rescue helicopters October 4 and 5 and fixed-wing aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew’s projected path northeastward along Florida’s east coast. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)
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Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, are relocating the wing's rescue helicopters October 4 and 5 and fixed-wing aircraft in response to Hurricane Matthew’s projected path northeastward along Florida’s east coast. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

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PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --

Air Force Reserve operations, maintenance and support personnel from the 920th Rescue Wing here began the process of relocating its helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft yesterday in response to Hurricane Matthew’s projected path northeastward along Florida’s east coast.

 

Along with the 45th Space Wing, as of 3 p.m. yesterday, the 920th RQW entered Hurricane Condition III (HURCON III) in preparation for the storm. HURCON III indicates surface winds in excess of 58 mph, which could arrive in the area of the base within 72 hours.  In anticipation of winds reaching 34 knots at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2016, with 50 knot winds expected around midnight.

 

Col. Jeffrey Macrander,  920th Rescue Wing, strongly urged all rescue warriors to “get prepared” as he made his way to a wing HH-60G Pave Hawk to fly it out of harm’s way to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, where additional wing aircraft were flown.

 

Wing leadership initiated a recall notification of all base personnel and units conducted a 100 percent accountability check of all assigned members, to include families of deployed members.

 

Macrander said his biggest priority is to protect “our Airmen and assets”.

 

The 920th RQW is also preparing its HC-130P/N King fixed-wing aerial refueling aircraft, and pararescue teams to be configured as a rescue asset in case they are called into action.

 

Base personnel and residents should take action to prepare for the possible arrival of hurricane-force winds. These actions include the potential for evacuation of the base and all barrier islands. 920th Rescue Wing leadership is coordinating preparation and response operations with the 45th Space Wing, Brevard County and NASA emergency management operations centers.

 

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For more information and updates, visit www.patrick.af.mil; www.facebook.com/920thRescueWing;  www.facebook.com/45SpaceWingatPatrickAirForceBaseFla; twitter.com/45thspacewing; or contact the 45th Space Wing Public Affairs office at (321) 494-5933.

 

Additional information can be found at:

http://www.brevardcounty.us/EmergencyManagement/Preparedness

http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

http://www.patrick.af.mil/Units/Hurricane-Information

https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

TagCSAR TagHC-130 TagHH-60 Taghurricane