Thanks from Houston

[Sasquatch]

Hey y'all, I was a little more active on here a few years back when applying to guard units but have lurked off & on since then. I live in Houston where, as most are aware, we had some pretty gnarly flooding from Hurricane Harvey. As shitty as the situation has been for so many in the area, it has largely brought out the best in people. My wife and I were lucky enough to be spared from anything serious, but homes just a few blocks away were inundated with floodwater. Watching USCG helicopters snag folks from rooftops just a few streets over was pretty surreal. The other day, I watched a -130 refueling a couple pavehawks directly over my neighborhood. I grew up around AF bases, so seeing aircraft overhead is something I'm pretty used to. Watching them putting in serious work to help save lives was something new entirely.

With that said, I'm sure more than a few of you on here have been involved, either directly or indirectly, with rescue, recovery, and aid efforts in response to the storm. On behalf of everyone in Houston and SE Texas, I just wanted to say thanks. If you've ever in the area, let me know and beers are on me. 

Edited August 31, 2017 by Sasquatch

[MooseAg03]

I'm also from the area and was visiting but left early just before the storm hit. It amazes me to see the helos from rescue squadrons all over the country, I've seen videos from a rescue unit in NY pulling people from the water. I just have a question about the logistics from anyone who may know, we're these helos airlifted to a staging area close to the disaster zone or do they actually fly cross country from that far away? I would think with the flight being over CONUS that they probably just flew south.

 

I'd also like to thank any and all who are helping. My family miraculously was spared from the floodwaters, but are surrounded by devastation. I had some friends who were almost swept away while being rescued, and they lost the house they just purchased a few months ago. Sure wish I could be there to help, but if any of you are many thanks from me, my family, and my friends in the area.

 

[saber4p]

From what I saw on social media, the 106th NY unit airlifted their helos in C-17s from the Newburgh NY guard, then they all staged at the air port at College Station where the 106th's HCs met up with more supplies

[craino21]

It's been a mix. Most of the units, Moody, Patrick, DM, have flown themselves out while NY flew down in C-17s. You'd be surprised how long it takes to fold and unfold a -60 for air transport and it usually makes more sense to cross country instead.

[Breckey]

It was also helpful that the 106th used state level Title 32 (or so I've heard through the bro network) rather than ACC activation to get to Ft Hood on Saturday morning, and on alert by the afternoon. Moody took a bit longer to get into the area.

[viper154]

We had just about everyone that wasn't on leave volunteer to come in this weekend to get MQ-9s overhead to help with search and rescue. Unfortunately the red tape was just to much. We were chomping at the bit to help, only thing better than sending enemy to grave is saving our own. Hang in there. We have supplies and fundraising coming your way. 

[PK...]

On 8/31/2017 at 11:38 AM, Sasquatch said:

Hey y'all, I was a little more active on here a few years back when applying to guard units but have lurked off & on since then. I live in Houston where, as most are aware, we had some pretty gnarly flooding from Hurricane Harvey. As shitty as the situation has been for so many in the area, it has largely brought out the best in people. My wife and I were lucky enough to be spared from anything serious, but homes just a few blocks away were inundated with floodwater. Watching USCG helicopters snag folks from rooftops just a few streets over was pretty surreal. The other day, I watched a -130 refueling a couple pavehawks directly over my neighborhood. I grew up around AF bases, so seeing aircraft overhead is something I'm pretty used to. Watching them putting in serious work to help save lives was something new entirely.

With that said, I'm sure more than a few of you on here have been involved, either directly or indirectly, with rescue, recovery, and aid efforts in response to the storm. On behalf of everyone in Houston and SE Texas, I just wanted to say thanks. If you've ever in the area, let me know and beers are on me. 

Sasquatch... glad you guys were spared the worst. There was a lot of devastation; and as you said, the sights were surreal... even more so from the sky. The HC-130s in the air were our sister squadrons from New York, California, and Florida. Those guys did some solid C2 work helping the helos down low get into some tight spots to get folks out. 

As the days rolled by, some of our Guard bros that are also involved with civilian rescue for their day jobs saw on a few EMS forums that gas around the local airports were contaminated. Didn't really validate the claim 100% at the time but one thing for sure was that fuel started running out very quickly in the area. The few airfields that had gas were packed with hundreds of aircraft coming in and out to gas up. Major props to the local FBOs and Airport Fire Departments too... they reserved the gas for rescue aircraft only and met us every time we stopped with clean towels to dry off and some quick hot meals to scarf down as we listened to the radios, jotted down the next tasking and were wheels up as soon as the tanks were full. On the days when gas started getting scarce, we were lucky to have the Kings (Herks) to coordinate Air Refueling as opposed to spending valuable time on the ground waiting for fuel. We were in the air for 10+ hours when you saw the Hawks getting gas overhead. A very humbling and rewarding experience indeed. Couldn't have done it without those guys.

[PK...]

23 hours ago, craino21 said:

It's been a mix. Most of the units, Moody, Patrick, DM, have flown themselves out while NY flew down in C-17s. You'd be surprised how long it takes to fold and unfold a -60 for air transport and it usually makes more sense to cross country instead.

Bruh... contrary to what has been the norm for foldings that aren't held to a specific timeline, our Maintenance bros worked their asses off on this one. Those guys have our gratitude big time! The admin planning started around noon on Friday when we heard the initial rumblings that we might be out the door. Maintenance hadn't even touched any of the aircraft since we weren't 100% sure it was a done deal. We got the green light from headquarters around 1700 the same day. Maintenance showed up at 0700 the next morning, folded three birds and were ready to go by late morning. HH-60 crews walked in the door at noon, two C-17s landed at 1300, and we were wheels up by 1630.