Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has completed Hurricane Harvey relief operations in the United States. All the 34 air force personnel are returning to training detachment at Grand Prairie, Texas tonight.
In a press statement issued today, Ministry of Defence said, “The four RSAF CH-47 Chinook helicopters deployed to Temple, Texas, for Hurricane Harvey relief operations have completed their mission.”
During their nine-day deployment, the RSAF personnel worked closely with the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG) to transport personnel and essential supplies such as food, water and equipment.
Appreciating the role of RSAF personnel and thanking them for their contributions to the relief operations, Colonel Ronald Burkett, TXARNG State Aviation Officer, said, “On behalf of the Texas Army National Guard and thousands of Texans in our community, I thank you very much. Not just for your skilled aviation abilities, but also your willingness to deploy with us as quickly as you did.”
Speaking about the deployment, Lieutenant Colonel Howe Siong Sen, RSAF's Peace Prairie Detachment Commander, said, “The regular bilateral training between the Peace Prairie Detachment and the Texas Army National Guard allowed the RSAF to support seamlessly and contribute meaningfully towards the disaster relief efforts.”
All 34 RSAF personnel will be returning to their training detachment at Grand Prairie, Texas later tonight.
Hurricane Harvey has killed 70 people so far in the US, and caused billions of dollars in the damage.