https://www.stripes.com/news/us/evacuations-ordered-for-four-military-bases-as-florence-approaches-east-coast-1.547055
Evacuations ordered for four military bases as Florence approaches East Coast
By Rose L. Thayer and Claudie Grisales | Stars and Stripes
Published: September 11, 2018
All or portions of at least four military installations along the East Coast have ordered evacuations in anticipation of Hurricane Florence, as the massive storm is expected to make landfall by Thursday.
Navy officials have authorized an emergency evacuation order in Virginia for personnel residing in Hampton Roads and Virginia Zone A of Naval Station Norfolk. The order follows the governor’s evacuation order for the same area and will remain in effect until Saturday.
“The safety of our personnel and their families is my top priority right now,” said Rear Adm. Charles Rock, the commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. “Our mission is to support the fleet, fighter and family and the team at Navy Region Mid-Atlantic has been working around the clock to provide support and information during this very stressful time.”
The Air Force is evacuating Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina and has a limited evacuation order at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, as announced on each base’s Facebook page. Both bases are following the lead of local and state evacuation orders, said Air Force Maj. Lindy Singleton. At Langley-Eustis, which sits near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the order is for personnel who reside on Langley Air Force Base or in the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Evacuation Zone A.
The Air Force has ordered any personnel traveling to these bases to stay where they are. Officials are also monitoring Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, Pope Field at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and the Washington, D.C. area, Singleton said. Some aircraft at Seymour Johnson and Langley have started to move to other locations.
Langley’s F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talon training jets began flying out Tuesday. They will fly to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in central Ohio.
Air Force Col. Jason Hinds said in a statement that the base's facilities can withstand hurricane force winds. But he said there's no reason to risk any damage to the base's fleet of advanced F-22 fighter jets. About 100 personnel will travel to Ohio to support the jets.
At Fort Bragg, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has begun staging supplies at the post while soldiers and airmen are working to mitigate damage to infrastructure and military equipment, according to The Fayetteville Observer.
“Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our soldiers, civilians and their families,” said Lt. Col. Mike Burns, a spokesman for the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg. “We understand that Hurricane Florence has the potential to impact our community and we are doing many of the things you would expect to prepare.”
Fort Bragg also is bracing for the storm and taking steps to mitigate any damage it might cause by clearing storm drains and inspecting other infrastructure. Burns said military vehicles and other equipment that could be damaged by the storm are being moved indoors when possible. A spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division said they are preparing to move more than 80 helicopters to Georgia ahead of the storm and are working to fill fuel and water tanks.
On Monday, a mandatory evacuation of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, located along the southern portion of the South Carolina coast, was announced. Brig. Gen. James Glynn, commander Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region, said the mandatory evacuation would begin at noon Tuesday. About 8,500 servicemembers are assigned to Parris Island.
“I have determined the safest course of action is to evacuate,” he said. “For everyone’s safety, I have issued the evacuation order well ahead of the storm in an effort to ensure everyone is able to seek refuge before the storm impacts the area.”
The Coast Guard also announced it is moving its cutters, aircraft and boats outside the projected path of the hurricane and all non-essential personnel will be evacuated. The service warned that during and in the immediate aftermath of the storm, it might not be available.
For example, Coast Guard Capt. Kevin Carroll, commander for Sector Hampton Roads at Portsmouth, Va., said Monday that its 29-foot response boat, 45-foot response boat, 87 coastal patrol boats and 270-foot cutter are being relocated to safer areas. In addition, the Coast Guard is taking steps to ensure its aircraft are safe, such as its C-130s and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters out of Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina, by moving them to other locations.