45th AES supports relief efforts
The 45th AES personnel bring with them the capability to operate on multiple aircraft.
Reservists assigned to the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES) based at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, have established operations to support post-hurricane humanitarian relief efforts on the islands of Puerto Rico, St Thomas and St Croix, said the US Air Force (USAF). The first medical evacuation flight departed from MacDill on 24 September.
The 45th AES personnel bring with them the capability to operate on multiple aircraft, said the USAF, providing inflight medical care while staffing the aeromedical evacuation operations team that oversees all flights into and out of the Caribbean for this operation. AES crews are trained to handle a full range of military operations, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response, the USAF noted.
For Reserve citizen airmen with family in the islands, such as Tech. Sgt Maria Ayala who has family in Puerto Rico, this mission takes on a more personal meaning: “The other day, I was able to speak to a cousin of mine who said they have seen my mom and she was okay. I still have not heard from my father though.”
Senior Airman Jamie Price, a medical technician with the 45th AES, also expressed his desire to help those affected by the storm: “I’m honoured to be able to help out the areas that were devastated by Hurricane Maria and bring the sick and injured to the US to give them the care they need.”