Dobbins supports FEMA Urban Search & Rescue during Hurricane Matthew response Published Oct. 17, 2016 By James Branch 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Dobbins Air Reserve Base served as a command post location for the FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Blue Incident Support Team to assist them in providing rapid federal response to local, federal, state and tribal agencies in support of Hurricane Matthew Oct 6-15, 2016.FEMA officials monitored the effects of the storm closely and took when mobilized by the federal government.“Dobbins Air Reserve Base is serving as a forward operating place for the Blue Incident Support Team”, said Rob Patterson, incident support team leader. “We provide command and control to our Urban Search & Rescue response System Task Forces. Local agencies make requests for our assistance, and we work under their command structure, supporting them as needed.”With over 1200 FEMA blue task force members deployed across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, Dobbins ARB was a strategic location for the command post.“Right now, our task forces are in four states providing, or prepared to provide search and rescue response to people that have been displaced due to the storm,” said Patterson. “We have to get them in in the most expedient way possible.”According to Patterson, it’s the relationships that are built between the federal agencies that can make a response mission a successful or a failed one.“We’ve supported FEMA on several missions,” said Col. James Kellogg, 94th Airlift Wing vice commander. “Our access to highways, along with our 10,000 foot runway helps us support our many first responders. During each mission, we take an assessment of their needs, so we are always prepared to better support them in the future.”
