SALISBURY, N.C. -- Men and women from the Army National Guard Base in Salisbury are on standby Thursday.
They are waiting to find out whether or not they will fly to the Outer Banks for rescue and clean-up missions following Hurricane Earl’s possible landfall.
Major Paul Harrell and his crew have spent the day checking the equipment and making sure at least four of their Blackhawk helicopters are ready for deployment.
“[Our mission] depends on what happens with the storm,” says Harrell. “If it’s a glancing blow, hopefully it’s doing more beach surveys, and seeing what the damage is. If it’s a major hit, then I assume we’ll be coming in right after that and helping people with the flooding and that type of scenario.”
Harrell says crews have to be ready to be deployed within five minutes notice.
The helicopters that are used to get to the Outer Banks can hold four crew members as well as more than 9,000 pounds of supplies.
Harrell says it’s these kinds of missions, where crews help out people from North Carolina, that make the job exciting and rewarding.
“Out of the things we do, this is probably the most rewarding thing that we get to do. That support comes down from the governor or North Carolina all the way down through. It’s a just a joy to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is one of the things I get to do as a living,’” explains Harrell.
Earl is expected to brush the Outer Banks Thursday evening.
