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Hawaii Army National Guard supports Kauai flood recovery efforts

State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, Public Affairs Office

April 17, 2018 | 2:12

In response to the heavy rains and flooding on the the island of Kauai, the Hawaii National Guard was activated to assist in search and recovery efforts. A Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue team provided key reconnaissance manpower.

The search and rescue soldiers who are are apart of the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package or (CERFP Team) along with Soldiers from the HIARNG’s 1st Squadron, 299 Cavalry’s Charley Company were air lifted, by fellow Army Guard Soldiers via UH-60 Black Hawks deep into Wainiha Valley.

SOT: Capt. Valentine Roberts Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue Team Leader

“We have 15 “Paxs” boots on ground eleven of those “Paxs” are Swift water technicians, part of the CERFP, and, we then have four cavalry scouts from Charlie Troop. Currently we are in Wainiha valley, conducting door to door wellness checks insuring the any trapped victims or individuals that want to be rescued have a way to get out. We are also getting and idea of the population that is currently in this valley to have a better assement for the team back in Lihue. The challenge is right now the ruff terrain. We don’t have a clear picture of what is out there so the terrain is going to be our number one challenge. All our Pacs are wide area search trained individuals so we should be able to accomplish the mission.”

The Hawaii National Guard response to the April flooding also included command and control assistance - at the Kauai Emergency Management’s Emergency Management Agency’s Operations Center. Guard Black Hawks provided, additional air-lift support by picking up hundreds of evacuees, and delivering tons of supplies to communities cut off from support by massive landslides, and washed out bridges. The 299 CAV Soldiers executed Landing Zone security and Airfield management, - while coordination for the active duty Army’s Airlift support on CH-47 Chinooks was supplied by the Hawaii Army National Guard’s own Chinook unit, Bravo Company, First Battalion, one seventy first Aviation Regiment. The First of the 299th Cavalry solders also conducted water search and rescue with the CERFP swifter water technicians on their Zodiac boats which require nightly mission reset insureing every day ended late with a fresh water wash down.