America's North Shore Journal

For residents unable or unwilling to relocate in the face of Hurricane Ike, rising water and damaged roads made leaving home after the fact nearly impossible, save for the fearless men and women working through various relief agencies, including Texas Task Force- One, Federal Emergency Management Administration, and the Department of Public Safety. In order to help stranded residents, “helispots,” or temporary helicopter landing zones, like school parking lots, have been set up in cities around the Gulf coast, according to Kenneth Larson, the Texas City helispot “on the spot” manager from TXTF-1. In Texas City, to ensure pilots and ground crews can communicate clearly, Air Force Combat Controllers from the 125th Special Tactics Squadron, from Portland, Oregon, are on the ground directing the landing aircraft. “We open up [helicopter landing zones] and … Read entire article »