Airports KOA ARFF Unite with Air Force Reserves for Patriot Palm Exercise By: Rae Nguyen Photos courtesy of Senior Airman Micah Coate
The Air Force’s 452nd Contingency Response Squadron team up with KOA’s ARFF to participate in emergency readiness exercise last January. Dubbed Patriot Palm, the yearly exercise included meetings, inspections and C-17 touch and goes at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. “Patriot Palm is designed to test the ability of the Air Force Reserve Contingency forces to respond in rapid fashion to humanitarian and/or natural disasters,” explained Senior Master Sgt. Chris Alcala. In coordination with the FAA tower, military and ARFF vehicles were shuttled into two C-17 cargo planes at Bravo South of KOA’s single runway. Two other teams had also conducted their exercise at the same time at different locations including Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and John Rodgers Airport. Locations differ each year. KOA was happy to accommodate and look forward to hosting in the coming years.
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