Tennessee – At the request of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee National Guard has mobilized two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Knoxville’s 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion to assist in wildfire response efforts in Anderson County.
The Tennessee National Guard was alerted to the request around 6:00 a.m. CDT, and by 8:15 a.m., both Blackhawk helicopters were en route from McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base. Each helicopter is equipped with Bambi Buckets, capable of carrying hundreds of gallons of water to combat wildfires.
The aircraft will source water from nearby locations and deliver it directly to areas in need, while also remaining available for any other missions that could support local first responders in the effort.
The Soldiers and aircrews of the Tennessee National Guard stand ready to continue providing support to firefighting operations as long as necessary, assisting in controlling the wildfire and safeguarding the affected community.