PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE — The military is sending airplanes, helicopters, cots, tents and troops to help Southern Californians devastated by out-of-control wildfires.
U.S. Northern Command, the military command that coordinates the Department of Defense’s response to natural and man-made disasters on the homeland, has been coordinating the Pentagon’s response since Monday.
Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of Northern Command, said 200 military personnel who have been sent to California – plus untold numbers of service members from Navy and Marine Corps installations in that state – are working to fight the fires and help displaced people. More can be sent if they are needed.
“We’ll continue working this 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the fire is out,” Renuart said. “We’ve learned a lot of lessons since Katrina, and I must say … that this has been as good an effort as we have seen.”
Northern Command, home to 2,000 personnel, is “leaning forward,” Renuart said, anticipating ways to help and identifying assets that can be deployed.
The general said the command is preparing – should there be a need – for evacuation of critical-care patients and military field hospitals. So far, Renuart said, hospitals in California have been able to handle people injured in the blazes.
“We continue to ask ourselves, ‘What’s next? What might be needed at these kinds of events.’ They might not be needed, that’s OK. Our job is to make sure that if they are needed, they’re in a position to respond,” Renuart said.
Two C-130 aircraft from the 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base arrived at the fire Tuesday afternoon. An estimated 75 Coloradans were aboard those planes. The military has sent six firefighting airplanes and at least eight helicopters, some equipped with buckets and infrared sensors so they can work at night, and 8,500 cots.
Besides military assets, the Rocky Mountain region will send wildland fire experts and equipment. Fourteen people – 12 from Colorado – will serve with incident management teams in various duties, including crew supervisors, information officers and emergency medical personnel, said Janelle Smith, spokesperson with the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.
Ten engines with three- to four-person crews also are en route to the fires, Smith said.
Those engines came from several departments, including those in Berthoud, Platte Canyon, Aspen and Fort Collins.
“We responded to a request, and we’re filling the gaps,” Smith said.
Erin Emery: 719-522-1360 or eemery@denverpost.com
