Recovery efforts are well underway at Moody Air Force Base following the severe impacts of Hurricane Helene, which hit South Georgia Sept. 26-27. More than 700 Airmen have been working around the clock to restore essential services, assess damages, and support Airmen and families during this challenging time.
The base sustained moderate to severe damage to more than 150 buildings but no significant destruction or permanent loss of capabilities. There was no damage to any aircraft secured here or from the 25 that evacuated last week.
The majority of the damage came from high winds with tree debris near buildings - almost every tree on base lost limbs. Some buildings received damage to external siding or roofing, leading to some anticipated water damage as the interior assessments are completed this week. The road to full recovery includes but is not limited to, internal drywall replacement, mold mitigation, structure repair, debris removal and fence replacement.
Power restoration efforts are progressing, with the base's electrical grid gradually coming back online as of Oct. 1. Crews are working diligently to restore service to critical areas, including the medical treatment facility. As the power comes back on, a team of experts from the 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron Operations Flight will continue going through each facility to ensure there are no other electrical hazards from blown fuses or other means.
"Our recovery teams are working tirelessly to assess the full extent of the damage and restore normal operations as quickly as possible," said Col. Ben Rudolphi, 23rd Wing commander. "Our recovery will take time, but we are confident that Team Moody will come together, as we always do, to overcome these challenges. We appreciate the ongoing support from the surrounding community and the engineering teams we've had come down to help us restore normalcy for all."
More than 30 Airmen from the 823rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or REDHORSE, Squadron arrived at Moody AFB from Hurlburt Field, Florida, to help with restoration efforts and debris clearing. With the amount of tree damage, safety became the top priority for anyone working to render the base operational. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center Disaster Recovery division is also on-site, assisting with contract support to expedite recovery through the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program.
