The ADF is responding to the Samoan tsunami tragedy with a tri-service disaster relief operation.
A C-17 aircraft left RAAF Base Richmond this morning, carrying two five-person ADF aero-medical evacuation teams, rescue equipment and emergency response supplies.
Tents, tarpaulins, trunks and stretchers, collapsible water containers, bottled water and rations were rushed to Samoa to meet the immediate demands of the disaster relief.
Chief of Joint Operations Command, Lieutenant General Mark Evans, said further flights and other measures with an enduring impact have been prepared throughout the day.
“A C-130 flight departed Richmond this afternoon with 34 civilian emergency specialists coordinated through Emergency Management Australia,” Lieutenant General Evans said.
“Two Australian C-130s, in New Zealand on training tasks, were expected to transport New Zealand officials and NZDF Iroquois helicopters as part of the New Zealand Government response to the disaster.”
“HMAS Success has also been diverted to Townsville to prepare to transport engineering and humanitarian stores,” Lieutenant General Evans said.
Defence personnel involved in the operation are confident they have the equipment and skills that can provide practical relief to the people affected by the disaster.
Speaking before the C-17 left RAAF Base Richmond, Corporal Rickie Kelly, a medic at RAAF Base Williamtown, said the aero-medical evacuation personnel received the call to join the operation overnight and were able to respond quickly.
“There are two teams of five, all from Williamtown,” Corporal Kelly said. “Each team consists of a doctor, a nurse and medics.
“We are the on-line unit at the moment, so we respond, if called upon, to go anywhere in the world - it is the sort of thing we train for our whole careers.”
Flight Lieutenant Charlie Freebairn, a C-17 pilot from RAAF Base Amberley’s 36 Squadron, expressed confidence that his crew and aircraft could provide a significant capability to the multinational relief operation.
“Even though the aircraft is new, it has proved itself capable of doing these sorts of tasks,” Flight Lieutenant Freebairn said.
“It’s got the reach, it’s got the cargo capacity and it’s perfectly suited for these tasks, including the important aero-medical evacuation capability.
“The big advantage is we can do in one day and one aircraft what it might take two C-130s to do in one or two days,” said Flight Lieutenant Freebairn.
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