IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2001

Air Force Responce to Terrorist Attacks

The U.S. Air Force is working around the clock to coordinate relief to victims of this morning's terrorist attacks.

Secretary of the Air Force James Roche contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately following the first reports of these attacks and offered maximum Air Force assets including personnel and equipment.

The Air Force is mobilizing medical critical care units, aeromedical evacuation teams, and critical incident stress management experts and other airlift assets in support of the president's activation of the National Disaster Medical System.

Expeditionary medical support teams are mobilized in response to the disasters. Teams from Langley, Wright Patterson, Keesler, Lackland, and Travis Air Force Bases are being positioned at various staging facilities. These teams are portable hospitals comprised of surgical teams, critical care capabilities and public health teams, among other specialties.

Additionally, the Air Force is assisting with the distribution of blood supplies to the locations where they are most needed. Locations of the staging centers are not releasable at this time due to security concerns.