It’s possible that approximately 1,400 active-duty troops training at Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island could be called upon to help with evacuation efforts in the event of a worst-case scenario during the current state of emergency.
That disclosure was made during a tour Friday for three Big Island state legislators of the National Guard emergency operations center set up at Keaukaha Military Reservation in Hilo because of the lava outbreak from Kilauea volcano that has destroyed 36 structures in Leilani Estates.
“I would be confident if there was a huge major change in the current situation that … those resources — maybe not all, because it depends on what the county needs — would be made available,” Hawaii Army National Guard Lt. Col. Shawn Tsuha, Task Force Hawaii commander, said in response to a question by state Sen. Kai Kahele.
“Their planning cell has already reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, this is what we have. This is what we can do,’” he said.
According to Tsuha, active-duty military troops would only be deployed in the lava zone if the state requested Department of Defense support from the federal government.
“That’s why the Guard is (assisting police and Civil Defense),” Tsuha said. “Because our secondary mission is to assist the state. … But if (the lava emergency) were to overwhelm or require more resources than we could provide, that’s when a joint task force is set up, and a dual-status commander would command both National Guard and active-duty forces.”
There are two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and one UH-60 Black Hawk standing by at KMR, lawmakers were told. And according to Maj. Jeff Hickman, Hawaii National Guard spokesman, there also are two UH-72A Lakotas, a light-utility helicopter.
Deploying all available helicopters quickly during a worst-case scenario emergency, however, might take a little time.
“The problem is, a lot of the flight crews don’t live here. Only a few do,” Hickman said.
“We have to fly them in from Oahu. As far as crews being matched up with helicopters, they’re outnumbered by helicopters. We have a lot here.”
Hickman said flight crews could be here from Oahu “within four or five hours.”
“We also have reached out to the (Army), because they have the Chinook, the bigger cargo (helicopter). … They said, ‘We’re here for you.’ We used them in Kauai. We could possibly use them here.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.