News

Reservists, FEMA team up for training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Grant Saylor
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Twenty-six Reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing joined forces with Federal Emergency Management Agency members from Washington Urban Search & Rescue Task Force One in a joint training exercise here Oct 31-Nov 2. 

The exercise was a chance for the 446th Airlift Control Flight and 86th Aerial Port Squadron to practice loading and securing FEMA equipment on the C-17 Globemaster in preparation for actual disaster relief efforts. 

"This has been a phenomenal training opportunity for us," said Master Sgt. Bruce Perkins, 446th ALCF loadmaster. "We're able to see firsthand how our training is helping the mission." 

It also provided members of the FEMA team with an up-close look at the capabilities of the C-17 and the associated support teams from the 446th AW. 

"This is a great opportunity for us to work with the launch guys here so our folks are better prepared to respond when we get an emergency call," said Sheri Badger, a coordinator with Pierce County's Department of Emergency Management. "We have to be ready to respond to any type of disaster, so to be able to work with the Air Force to see how they get our equipment loaded on the C-17 is invaluable." 

Reservists from the 86th APS and 446th ALCF spent Saturday morning loading and securing FEMA equipment, including two pickup trucks, two all-terrain vehicles and four jumbo-sized pallets, onto the C-17 for a short flight to Grays Field at Fort Lewis. Once there, flight crewmembers practiced a cargo offload in a simulated austere environment. 

"This is the first real hands-on training for a lot of our recruits," said Staff Sgt. Marco Zuber, 86th APS cargo specialist. "They're fresh out of tech school and they're green, so this is great training for them." 

Sergeant Perkins said these types of exercises create a win-win situation for the 446th AW, an opportunity for Reservists to polish their career field skills while fostering a positive relationship with one of the Air Force's non-military affiliates. 

"This really elevates our relationship with FEMA to the next level," said Sergeant Perkins. "They got to put faces to names and got to see how we deploy, and in our line of work it's all about building personal relationships." 

This was not the first time the 446th AW has provided airlift support to the Northwest FEMA team. In the past, the 446th transported the team to California in support of earthquake relief efforts after the Northridge quake of 1989. The wing also flew FEMA members to New Jersey after September 11 to assist with disaster response at the World Trade Center.