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Pilots sought for post-hurricane help

As the first major hurricane of the season looks to approach the Gulf coastline, Angel Flight Southeast, the only public benefit flying organization with experience flying emergency air missions as part of the Homeland Security Emergency Air Transportation System (HSEATS - pronounced “H-Seats”), is seeking out additional pilots to fly in case Hurricane Dennis causes enough damage to require use of private aircraft to transport emergency supplies.

HSEATS, an outgrowth of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, provides the disaster relief community with a pre-planned, reliable, coordinated system to transport key personnel and small, priority cargo items such as blood supplies to the site of a disaster.

AFSE last year became the first organization to utilize a select group from its corps of more than 900 volunteer private pilots across a five-state region to ensure that water and blood were transported after Hurricanes Francis and Ivan. A total of more than two dozen HSEATS emergency air missions were coordinated during the two storms.

“Although well over a quarter of our total pilot base is registered and prepared to assist in providing private aircraft air transport services in a post-disaster situation, a major incident could call upon us to ask the aviation community to be ready and able to assist,” said AFSE President Deborah Deal. “AFSE has the experience and resources to coordinate these critical missions, especially in circumstances where commercial airports might not be available.”

AFSE, which flies patients needing access to specialized evaluation, diagnosis and treatment that often is not provided or adequate near a patient’s home, handles all Angel Flightâ  America calls for assistance in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi.

“After the 9/11 attacks, emergency blood shipments were needed, key disaster relief agency officials needed transportation, and rescue dogs in New York needed protective gear,” continued Deal.  “Angel Flight pilots from various regions across the country flew more than 150 volunteer missions in response to the crisis when all other planes were grounded.  However, Angel Flight was unable to use anywhere near its full capabilities in support of disaster relief because it lacked a pre-planned response system, had no MOU with key disaster agencies and lacked pre-established lines of communication with the appropriate local or national disaster response agencies.  Those problems are now being remedied through the establishment of HSEATS.”

More trained and certified pilots are always welcome to join the program. Registered pilots receive a Homeland Security patch, decal, and certificate and participate in several brief readiness drills per year. To become a registered HSEATS pilot in the Southeast, applicants should visit the Angel Flight Southeast Web site at www.angelflightse.org.

Angel Flight Southeast is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization of more than 900 volunteer pilots who utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for citizens who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation.

AFSE also coordinates missions to fly organ transplant candidates; people involved in clinical trials, chemotherapy or other repetitive treatment; victims of abuse seeking relocation; families receiving help from Ronald McDonaldâ Houses, Shriners Hospitals and many other charities; disabled or sick children to special summer camp programs; and for many other humanitarian reasons.

Last year, AFSE coordinated more than 2,500 air missions within its five-state region. AFSE is one of six geographic regions affiliated with Angel Flight America. For more information, including online donations, go to www.angelflightse.org.