15th Wing Airmen conduct Hurricane Irma relief

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Avery Larkin
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs

According to the Department of Defense, over 40,000 members of the federal government have volunteered to help with Hurricane Irma response efforts.

Members of the 15th Wing had a direct role in those efforts when a 535th Airlift Squadron crew was sent to the Caribbean for hurricane response.

Maj. Stewart Renz, Capt. Steven Pizzi, 1st Lt. Thomas Holland, Tech. Sgt. Christo Sudock, and Staff Sgts. Alicia Muro, Amorin Moracco and Joshua Hutton were returning from a mission in the Middle East when they were rerouted to Texas to pick up food and water for Hurricane Irma victims.

Muro, a 535th AS instructor loadmaster, recalled they arrived before the cargo was prepared, requiring participation from the whole crew to get everything loaded.

“We arrived before they finished assembling the pallets,” she said. “We all pitched in to reconfigure the load and be in and out as soon as possible.”

The crew’s mission was to take over 100,000 pounds of food and water to the Virgin Islands. They transported 14 pallets of food and water, each weighing 10,000 pounds.

In addition to carrying supplies, they flew one of the senators of St. Croix from St. Thomas back to St. Croix to assist municipal hurricane response. The crew also transported 27 medical personnel providing assistance in St. Croix back to the United States.

According to Maj. Stewart Renz, 535th AS assistant director of operations, the crew completed this mission by pushing themselves to the limit of aircrew duty.

“We worked about 99% of what is allowed for flight duty,” he said. “We’re tired, but it was great to be a part such a massive team effort. Members of all services there to help out.”

For more information about how you can help with hurricane relief efforts, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.