National Guard Extracts More Than 50 People Trapped By Flooding

Three UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters of the Tennessee National Guard helped rescue more than 50 patients and staff stranded at Unicoi County Hospital by severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.

Within an hour of being notified of the situation by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Guardsmen with the 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion in Knoxville assembled the helos and crew for aerial rescue operations.

When the weather cleared a short time later the mission was approved and the aircraft launched from Joint Base McGhee-Tyson to join up with Virginia State Police who had been requested through the national state-to-state mutual aid program known as Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

Their combined efforts resulted in the patients and staff being transported to a local high school. In addition, Tennessee Guardsmen also deployed with four light medium tactical vehicles with high ground clearance able to travers flooded were deployed to support water rescue missions.

Maj. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee’s adjutant general said, “Our priority is to rapidly deploy to the affected areas and assist emergency responders with rescue operations. We are monitoring the situation and prepared to support as long as needed to ensure the safety of our fellow Tennesseans.”

FMI:  www.nationalguard.mil/