An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

22nd LRS supports humanitarian donation to Paraguay

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Laura L. Valentine
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Excess firefighting equipment from across Kansas will soon be transported to Paraguay with the help of Airmen from the 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron.

The equipment was transferred from the Wichita Fire Department Regional Training Center to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., Feb. 5, 2013. The shipment includes firefighting gear, personal protective equipment and communication devices, in addition to a Hurst Jaws of Life tool.

Kansas-Paraguay Partners, a Partners of the Americas international exchange organization, has been responsible for the collection of gear and tools for the past several years.

The nearly 5-tons of surplus equipment can no longer be used in Kansas due to its age or changes in state regulations, and is being sent to the Corps of Volunteer Firefighters of Paraguay.

This gear is going to be a significant boost in the Corps ability to respond to fire and heavy rescue, said Steve Richards, KPP vice president.

The transport is made possible through the Denton Program, a Department of Defense humanitarian assistance transportation program.

The program allows U.S. based non-governmental sources to transport humanitarian aid at little or no cost to the donor, while simultaneously putting the extra space on U.S. military transport assets to good use.

Although shipments of goods are processed by McConnell Airmen for airlift as part of the Denton Program, the shipment is not transported on a KC-135 assigned to McConnell.

Which aircraft will take the shipment to the South American country is unknown at this time. Installations with airlift capabilities are eligible for the transport, based on availability of aircrew and aircraft.

The program allows humanitarian organizations like ours to move aid in a way that would be virtually impossible otherwise. Fellow Partners of the Americas organization, Wisconsin-Nicaragua Partners, have used the Denton Program in the past to transport large fire trucks on Air Force aircraft, said Richards.

Once the firefighting equipment is transported to a McConnell LRS facility, it will be unloaded and prepared for transportation.

All hazardous materials must be inspected, certified and properly marked for airlift. Items will be packaged in new boxes and loaded onto aircraft pallets and await transfer to an aircraft which will take it one step closer to Paraguay.

"It's nice to do this," said Staff Sgt. Kevin McIntyre, 22nd LRS air cargo operations NCO in charge. "We do the day-to-day mission, we move the base, but this is a good opportunity to help a whole country."

The 22nd LRS supports the shipment of humanitarian donations each year.

This is the first time 22nd LRS Airmen have assisted with a shipment to Paraguay, but typically twice a year shipments will be processed and destined for Haiti, said McIntyre.