Into the Eye of the Storm: Air Force Hurricane Relief Efforts

Last year's hurricane season was one of the most devastating on record, with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma displacing hundreds of thousands of people across the Gulf states and wreaking billions of dollars in damage.

Throughout these disasters, the Air Force worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deliver aid and humanitarian assistance to storm-ravaged areas. More than 8,000 Airmen from across the United States contributed to the relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina, evacuating thousands of stranded families, airlifting more than 9,000 tons of supplies and treating some 5,500 patients.

When not part of official relief efforts, Airmen also spent countless hours donating their time, money and experience. Airmen at Keesler AFB in Mississippi logged more than 38,000 volunteer hours in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina alone. And in March, 135 Cadets from the Air Force Academy joined thousands of other college students for an Alternative Spring Break, rebuilding homes with Habitat for Humanity.

As the 2006 hurricane season begins June 1, the men and women of the Air Force will again stand ready to enter the eye of the storm, providing assistance whenever and wherever their country calls.

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