Airmen mobilized as the 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and 563d Personnel Recovery Task Force, from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, rescued four injured civilians, one critically injured, during search and rescue efforts in North Carolina, Oct. 5.
In support of a Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignment, the 563d PRTF has been conducting search and rescue operations over various locations in affected areas of North Carolina, as part of the U.S. Northern Command and Air Forces Northern, Defense Support of Civil Authorities disaster relief mission.
"The PRTF continues to honor our legacy of 'That Others May Live'," said Lt. Col. Jaymes Hines, 563rd PRTF commander. "We postured as forward as possible and immediately began our alert [being on call] after the storm cleared.
We remain ready to support our nation, our communities, our fellow Americans. We will be here as long as there are isolated or injured North Carolinians who require immediate search and rescue."
This was the first rescue for the U.S. Air Force supporting North Carolina and FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene. The combined efforts of the PRTF's Surface Response Team, Guardian 41 and the HH-60W airborne team units responded within 10 minutes of notification in the mountains of North Carolina - where local emergency services were unable to access.
The patients were transported via two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters to Johnson Medical Center, in Johnson City.
