New York National Guard respond to hurricane threat

By Mark Getman, New York National GuardAugust 23, 2021

New York National Guard responded to hurricane threat
Humvees assigned lined up in front of the New York State Police Troop L in Brentwood, NY on August 22, 2021. The New York Air National Guard Airmen assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing deployed the vehicles and a response team to the location as part of the New York state response to the anticipated landfall of Tropical Storm Henri. The New York National Guard activated 500 Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island, in New York City, in the Hudson Valley and in the Albany area to respond to any government requests for assistance. (Photo Credit: Capt. Mark Getman)) VIEW ORIGINAL

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. — As Hurricane Henri headed for Long Island August 21, the New York National Guard mobilized 485 Soldiers and Airmen to respond to damage in the wake of the storm.

The forecast indicated that heavy rain and 65 mph wind gusts could strike eastern Long Island. There was also a chance heavy rains could hit the Hudson Valley and the Albany area.

Instead, Henri made landfall around Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

"We got lucky," said Air National Guard Lt. Col. Glyn Weir, the commander of the Long Island response force. "The path of the hurricane was supposed to hit the base directly, [but] the impact was minimal."

The Long Island task force had 139 Soldiers and Airmen working jointly at the Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach and the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center. This allowed the teams to cover any contingency in central or eastern Suffolk County on Long Island.

New York National Guard  members assigned to  monitor the weather in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base,  in Westhampton Beach, New York on August 22, 2021, as part of the New York state response to Tropical Storm Henri's landfall.  The New York National Guard activated 500 Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island, in New York City, and in the Hudson Valley and Albany areas to respond to any government requests for assistance. (U.S National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman)
New York National Guard members assigned to monitor the weather in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, in Westhampton Beach, New York on August 22, 2021, as part of the New York state response to Tropical Storm Henri's landfall. The New York National Guard activated 500 Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island, in New York City, and in the Hudson Valley and Albany areas to respond to any government requests for assistance. (U.S National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman) (Photo Credit: Mark Getman) VIEW ORIGINAL

The task force drew from members of regional units; the 106th Rescue Wing; 105th Airlift Wing, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation; 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry; 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion; and the 1156th Engineer Company to provide capabilities for debris clearance, high-axle vehicle support and general-purpose forces.

Troops at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center were organized into a 10-person debris clearance team with two skid steers and two dump trucks, and two high-axle 20-person immediate response forces — one with four trucks and a humvee and another with five trucks.

At Gabreski Air National Guard Base, there was a 10-person debris clearance team with two skid steers and two dump trucks and a high-axle immediate response force with two trucks and three humvees.

"This was my first time as a joint task force commander," said Weir, who commands the logistics readiness squadron of the 106th Rescue Wing. "It was great having an emergency operations staff who all knew their roles and responsibilities. They made the process go smoothly."

The only support request for the team at Gabreski came from the New York State Police's Troop L in Brentwood. The troopers asked for humvees to be available in case motorists were stranded in flooding on the Long Island Expressway.

"The overall morale was high when we had the task to assist the State Police," Weir said. "This was a positive boost to service members who volunteered. They were given a mission to help their local community."

Airmen assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing  perform Preventive maintenance checks and services on their HUMVEE to prepare for a hurricane support mission at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York on August 22, 2021, as part of the New York state response to Tropical Storm Henri's landfall. As part of the state's response the New York National Guard  activated five hundred Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island,  and the Hudson Valley, New York, and the Albany area to respond to any State requests for assistance. (U.S Army National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman)
Airmen assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing perform Preventive maintenance checks and services on their HUMVEE to prepare for a hurricane support mission at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York on August 22, 2021, as part of the New York state response to Tropical Storm Henri's landfall. As part of the state's response the New York National Guard activated five hundred Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island, and the Hudson Valley, New York, and the Albany area to respond to any State requests for assistance. (U.S Army National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman) (Photo Credit: Mark Getman) VIEW ORIGINAL

Going on state active duty was a new experience for Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Sarah Caicedo, a member of the 106th Rescue Wing's logistics readiness squadron.

"It felt good knowing that we were getting called up to help our local community," Caicedo said. "This was my first domestic emergency activation since joining [in 2017]. I was deployed to Africa earlier this year for four months, but I joined for this reason: to serve my community.

"This is part of our core values, to put service before self," Caicedo said.

In the Hudson Valley, 250 Soldiers and Airmen were mobilized at the Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill. Another 50 Soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division were on duty at the Troy Armory.

The team at Camp Smith included a 20-person Engineer Initial Response Force equipped with a loader, two skid steers, and two dump trucks.

Sixty administrative and logistics personnel were also on duty to support the mission.

Major General Raymond Shields, the Adjutant General of New York, speaks to service members from the New York Air and Army National Guard  members placed on State Active Duty as Tropical Storm Henri made landfall  in New York at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base on August 22,2021 in Westhampton Beach, New Yorrk. As part of the States response to Hurricane Henri the New York National Guard  activated five hundred Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island,  and the Hudson Valley, New York, and the Albany area to respond to any State requests for assistance. (U.S Army National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman)
Major General Raymond Shields, the Adjutant General of New York, speaks to service members from the New York Air and Army National Guard members placed on State Active Duty as Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in New York at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base on August 22,2021 in Westhampton Beach, New Yorrk. As part of the States response to Hurricane Henri the New York National Guard activated five hundred Soldiers and Airmen on Long Island, and the Hudson Valley, New York, and the Albany area to respond to any State requests for assistance. (U.S Army National Guard photo by New York Guard Cpt Mark Getman) (Photo Credit: Mark Getman) VIEW ORIGINAL

Troops were prepared to assist local authorities even as the threat of hurricane-force winds diminished and the threat of heavy rains and flooding became the greater concern.

On Aug. 23, the state announced that rainfall totals from Henri had exceeded 7 inches in Brooklyn and Central Park, more than 6 inches in Queens, and 3 to 4 inches in Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau counties. Power outages were not a major problem, with roughly 2,000 without power after the storm.

While there were reports of roads closed and cars stranded due to flooding, as well as downed trees and wires in multiple locations, city and county emergency managers had response efforts in hand. New York National Guard members were released and returned to normal duties on Aug. 23.

Even for a near-miss hurricane, the experience of providing a rapid response and capability built confidence, said Airman 1st Class Adonys Arguetta Flores, another member of the 106th Rescue Wing.

"This was my first hurricane mission since joining," Arguetta Flores said, "and I expected it to be a lot worse but was glad it wasn't."

Arguetta Flores, a Long Island native, was assigned as a humvee driver for the response forces and staged at the airbase in Westhampton Beach.

"This was a short mission but a great experience to help my local community," he said.

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