Oct. 29, 2007

Relationships key to firefighting response success

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- As the Defense Coordinating Officer of the California wildfires for U.S. Northern Command, Army Col. Mark Armstrong knows the importance of building concrete relationships with other agencies. By providing Department of Defense support of civil authorities, Armstrong has been rubbing elbows with agencies at many

Oct. 29, 2007

Wildfires spark deployment of Army North Command Post

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – As wildfires ravaged southern California, Army North's Operational Command Post 2 deployed to March Air Reserve Base, Calif., Wednesday to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to the crisis. “After we got the call, we had 36 hours to deploy our personnel and equipment,” said Army Lt. Col.

Oct. 28, 2007

NORTHCOM commander praises U.S. Army North’s efforts during wildfires

PASADENA, Calif. – Air Force Gen. Victor Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command, visited U.S. Army North Soldiers and civilians deployed here in response to the Southern California wildfires.  Col. Mark Armstrong, Army North’s Region IX Defense Coordinating Officer, briefed General Renuart about his defense coordinating element’s

Oct. 28, 2007

ARNORTH transitions from exercise mode to real world

U.S. Army North proved it’s ready for the “real world” during exercise Vigilant Shield ’08.   The national-level exercise, sponsored by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the Department of Homeland Security, tested how the unit responds during homeland defense and civil support emergencies.

Oct. 27, 2007

Firefighting MAFFS crews face unique challenges

CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. – The military crews in the planes dropping fire retardant on wildfire flames in southern California face hazards and challenges unique to their humanitarian mission. First is the low altitude at which they fly, and the sudden, violent updrafts and downdrafts caused by the heat of the fire. Factor in

Oct. 27, 2007

Global Hawk , U-2 and P-3 aircraft capture images of wildfires

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Throughout the week Air Forces Northern tasked RQ-4 Global Hawk and U-2 mapping aircraft from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and a Navy P-3 aircraft flying out of Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., to provide still photos and video to firefighting commanders and civil authorities on the ground.Military technology

Oct. 27, 2007

Navy’s Task Force Bulldozer Supports San Diego Firefighting Efforts

CORONADO, Calif. - Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 deployed Task Force Bulldozer Friday in support of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s firefighting efforts in San Diego County.Task Force Bulldozer will provide support to CAL Fire by supplementing over-taxed firefighting equipment and resources.  These additional

Oct. 27, 2007

U.S. Northern Command continues California firefighting assistance

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The Department of Defense completed a third day of supporting California firefighting efforts with specially equipped aircraft on Friday. Six Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules planes equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System dropped tons of fire retardant on wildfires in San Diego

Oct. 27, 2007

U.S. Northern Command provides wildfire imagery to first responders

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Department of Defense aircraft are capturing high-resolution video to assist in fighting the California wildfires. The commander of U.S. Northern Command, Gen. Gene Renuart, directed on Wednesday for specially equipped military aircraft to begin providing real-time, unclassified imagery to planners and fire leaders

Oct. 26, 2007

U.S. Northern Command aircraft continue California firefighting assistance

CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif.— The Department of Defense completed a second day of supporting California firefighting efforts with specially equipped aircraft on Thursday.Six Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules planes equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System dropped tons of fire retardant on

Oct. 25, 2007

Airmen, aircraft support California wildfire efforts

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The 9th Reconnaissance Wing’s U-2 and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft have been tasked to collect high-altitude imagery of the wildfires in southern California. Flying in support of U.S. Northern Command’s southern California mission, both the U-2 and Global Hawk are collecting imagery to provide intelligence on the current

Oct. 25, 2007

Joint Task Force Civil Support aids DOD response to California Wildfires

FORT MONROE, Va. -- In support of the Department of Defense’s response to the wildfires that have devastated Southern California, Joint Task Force Civil Support today deployed a seven-man planning team to Sacramento to support the California Army and Air National Guard’s state level planning effort.   A JTF-CS public affairs officer also deployed

Oct. 25, 2007

U.S. Northern Command aircraft assist with firefighting in California

CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. – At the request of the local incident commander Wednesday afternoon, five Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System flew their first missions in support of the California wildfires. The aircraft, under operational control

Oct. 24, 2007

AFNORTH helps fight fires

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Air Forces Northern is deploying an Air Component Coordination Element, or ACCE, to support firefighting operations in Southern California. The ACCE is an Air Force team designed to perform the command and control function for Air Force assets supporting the efforts.  When the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Oct. 24, 2007

DoD and U.S Northern Command support California firefighting efforts

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Department of Defense is deploying unique military capabilities to support emergency wildfire response efforts in southern California.The following is a list of DoD or U.S. Northern Command assets and personnel that are supporting the firefighting efforts: NEW OPERATIONS Navy installations in the San Diego