ALBANY – A total of 124 airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard are being deployed to the US Virgin Islands to assist in response to Hurricane Irma. Governor Cuomo is also deploying Task Force-2, a specialized team of first responders and equipment skilled in structural collapse rescue, excavation emergencies, technical rope rescues, confined space rescue, and other specialized rescues, to Florida.
The 106th Rescue Wing is deploying three HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, and two HC-130 search and rescue aircraft as well as three Zodiac inflatable rescue boats.
The team from the 106th will be transported south aboard two C-17 aircraft
from the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing based
at Stewart Airport in the Town of Newburgh.
The New York Task Force-2 is administered and operated by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
The task force consists of personnel from the state agency as well as several local fire and rescue agencies, including Greenport Fire Department in Columbia County, Newburgh Fire Department in Orange County, Coxsackie Hose Company #3 in Greene County and Arlington Fire Department in Dutchess County.
