Military Strike Teams Provide Aid for Hurricane Dolly Victims

South Padre Island, Texas, looking for relief aid July 24 while U.S. Army Specialist Luis Dominguez prepares bags of ice to be loaded into vehicles. Texas Task Force 1 members passed out nearly 4,000 bags of ice, 50 tons of water and 1,200 self-heating meals to victims of Hurricane Dolly. Specialist Dominguez is stationed with the 133rd Aviation Battalion at New Braunfels, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.)

A Texas task force convoy crosses a two-mile bridge July 24 bringing food, water and ice to the people of South Padre Island, Texas. Hurricane Dolly made landfall at the island. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.)

Relief task force members hand out self-heating food packages, bags of ice and cases of water July 24 to residents of South Padre Island, Texas, after the island was impacted by Hurricane Dolly. Task force members from the Army National Guard and civilian emergency response organizations were on hand to provide aid immediately following the hurricane. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.)

Army Spc. Luis Dominguez hands out bags of ice July 24 to residents of South Padre Island, Texas, the morning after the island was struck by Hurricane Dolly. Nearly 4,000 bags of ice, 50 tons of water and 1,200 meals were delivered to families by Texas Task Force 1 members. Specialist Dominguez is stationed with the 133rd Field Artillery at New Braunfels, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.)

Army Spc. Jose Ramirez talks with a South Padre Island, Texas, resident looking for relief aid July 24 following Hurricane Dolly. Texas Task Force 1 members handed out nearly 4,000 bags of ice, 50 tons of water and 1,200 self-heating meals to hurricane victims. Specialist Ramirez is stationed with the 133rd Field Artillery at New Braunfels, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.)

On the Home Front:

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas, July 25, 2008 -- For nearly a quarter million people, calm is beginning to settle across the south Texas Rio Grande region after the relentless lashing that Hurricane Dolly doled out recently.

This calm is due in part by the relief efforts of strike task forces that set out before dawn July 24 to set up points of distribution across 15 counties.

"The unity of effort between state operations center, the county judges, the disaster district controllers, Texas military forces and all the agencies associated with the hurricane relief is really phenomenal," said Col. John Nichols, Joint Task Force commander, and 149th Fighter Wing commander.

"We've got 99 percent of the solutions in place. People are being taken care of, roads are being cleared, search and rescue operations are nearly complete," Colonel Nichols said. "The points of distribution operations are going full force."

"The other really good thing is electricity is coming back on so it's causing us to have to set up less and less PODs as we call them," said Colonel Nichols. "We're very happy. We're working hard and we'll be finished when it's finished."

One of the first tasks forces to hit the road before dawn July 24 carried supplies from a staging area at an HEB Distribution Center in Weslaco, Texas to a POD site at Schlitterbahn Beach Water Park on South Padre Island.

"I had a good idea I'd be going," said Army Spc. Jeremy Holley, a unit supply specialist with the battalion. He is an auto mechanic in his civilian life.

Cruising at an average speed of 45 mph, the strike force edged their way through towns flooded by Hurricane Dolly. Metal roofs were peeled back. Palm trees ripped by the roots lay strewn about. Power lines hacked in half or laying on the roads.

The devastation took its toll on towns but didn't take the peoples' spirits -- evident by the honking, waving and smiles of the residents as the convoy passed and the gracious thank yous from the thousands who accepted the relief packages.

"Our home is a different story. The garage flew away, all of are trees have fallen into the street," said Esmeralda Alaniz, a South Padre resident and mother of three young children. "This was the worst I've ever seen."

Before the convoy had time to set up, residents and travelers at South Padre made their way in droves to get ice, water and food.

"It is great that people are here to help us," said Mrs. Alaniz, who has lived her entire life here. "We thought it would be just a tropical storm. We weren't as prepared as we should have been. We're just grateful to be all right and help is here"

Despite the destruction of Hurricane Dolly which swept across the south Texas Rio Grande region, Texas military forces, local and government agencies will continue to work day and night until everyone is accounted for, all PODS are pushed out and all electrical power is restored.

"We're providing personnel to support the PODS. Our team is on standby for specialized services such as electricians, heavy equipment operators, air conditioning repair and road clearing," said Lt. Col. Mike Reid, 149th Maintenance Squadron from the 149th FW. "With 75 personnel in place, and possibly more on the way if needed, we are looking forward to supporting the hurricane relief efforts in full force. Being here and supporting the relief efforts is great because we have the opportunity to serve the people in the state that we live."

(Story by by Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Hanson, Air Force News Agency.)

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