Previous Story
CPA welcomes in 747, Antonov cargo FEMA-aid planes
The Commonwealth Ports Authority welcomed in a Kalitta Air 747 freighter and an Antonov cargo plane carrying generators and critical utility supplies to support relief efforts on island as part of Federal Emergency Management Agency aid yesterday.
FEMA flew in a relief plane from Hawaii to the Saipan airport yesterday afternoon, bringing in relief supplies but mostly generators for power restoration on island. Kalitta Air provides air cargo transportation. (Dennis B. Chan)
The Kalitta Air plane arrived at the Saipan International Airport around 1pm. Saipan Tribune observed a FEMA logistics team and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official coordinate the unloading of the generators on the plane.
A FEMA official on site said the generators were “10-R” 500 to 600 kilowatt generators weighing nearly 15,000 lbs each.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been testing, preparing, and supervising the installation of generators on island once unloaded and brought to FEMA’s staging area.
Bond Luddeke, FEMA’s federal staging area unit leader, said a U.S. Air Force unit helped unload the planes.
“Flying generators is not an easy feat but we got the plane loaded. Got it and other spare parts out of Hawaii and landed here,” Luddeke said in an interview outside the gates of the terminal.
“I have a small group of staging area team [with me]. We are checking off what comes in and making sure that there are no hiccups. Fortunately, the airport authority here has been dynamite, they have been taking care of us.”
“Everybody from FEMA and all our partner agencies are ready to be here. We work as hard as you can to get you back on your feet right away,” he said.
FEMA has been flying in cargo by air and by sea, but are flying only in daylight hours because of the lack of runway lights after the destructive Typhoon Soudelor more than a week ago.
FEMA brought in eight Federal Aviation Administration technicians to assist CPA with repairs of their navigation aids, according to FEMA federal liaison officer Stephen De Blasio on Saturday.
