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| Photo By Master Sgt. Michael Crane | U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryony Terrell, 139th Mission Support Group commander, briefs the emergency operations center staff at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Mo., Jan. 14, 2017. The Missouri National Guard was activated to state emergency duty to assist local authorities with emergency response to the winter storm. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Michael Crane) |
SAINT JOSEPH, MO, UNITED STATES
01.14.2017
Story by Master Sgt. Michael Crane
139th Airlift Wing
The 139th Airlift Wing is on standby to assist local authorities with emergency response to this weekend’s winter storm.
The response comes as Gov. Eric Greitens declared a state of emergency and activated the Missouri National Guard on Thursday.
Col. Ralph Schwader, Joint Task Force-Blue commander, says the wing has 50 airmen on standby called a quick response force, or QRF. The team would go door-to-door performing health and wellness checks in St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri.
“This is a unique tasking,” said Schwader. “In the past we have covered Buchanan County, but this time we are covering SEMA [State Emergency Management Agency] Region H.”
The are two other joint task forces in the state; One is St. Louis and one at Whiteman Air Force Base. A QRF from the 139th spent the night at Whiteman AFB
The wing also has a debris removal team equipped with chainsaws, skid loaders, shovels, and generators.
For more information about the Missouri National Guard’s response please visit moguard.com.
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| A fleet of trucks from the 139th Airlift Wing return to Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Mo., Jan. 14, 2017. More than 50 Airmen from the wing were stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Knoster, Mo., the previous night to assist local authorities with potential emergency response to the winter storm. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Michael Crane) |
