Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal and Other Publications Q4 2015 Business Journal | Page 17

Peterson Air Force Base,
Colorado.” This was thoroughly
explained on the USFS website.
How long has
Cheyenne been
part of the MAFFS
program?
The 153rd AS was one of the
very first units assigned to the
MAFFS program by Congress in
the 1970s. Each year since then,
the 153rd stands ready to provide
surge protection assistance.

and support personnel to fly
the missions.”
Who is part of the
MAFFS program?
“There are a total of 8 MAFFS
aircraft ready for operational
use and are provided by the
153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air
National Guard, Cheyenne, 145th
Airlift Wing (WYANG), North
Carolina Air National Guard,
Charlotte, the 146th Airlift Wing,
California Air National Guard,
Port Hueneme, and the 302nd
Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve,

If the call is made early in the day,
personnel can have the aircraft
prepped and deployed in as little as
24 hours. With much of the West
affected by severe drought and
thousands fleeing from their homes,
MAFFS has had a busy year, and
any delay in deployment could mean
tragedy for cities and towns.

How has MAFFS
improved in the
How many personnel
last year?
are involved?
Over the last year, the 153rd has
As with any mission, it takes a
reached out to incorporate other
range of personnel to keep the
aircrew across the U.S. to expand
MAFFS program current with
the personnel available for MAFFS.
training and readiness. Aircrew,
Rather than the 153rd solely relying
maintenance, and scheduling
on WYANG, they intermix with
work closely together to launch
personnel from North Carolina,
MAFFS when duty calls. 10
California, and Colorado to obtain
aircrews from the 153rd are
an adequate number of aircrew
trained each year for MAFFS,
members.
with 6 individuals on each crew.
In addition, 10-15
“MAFFS creates a
The general
maintenance and
powerful connection
mission of the Air
aircrew personnel
across communities
Force at times can
are needed to
coming together to
overshadow the local
prepare the C-130
protect, defend and
with MAFFS
serve my Community, my impact that it has in
equipment.
People & my Neighbors.” our community. Major
- Maj Neil Harlow, 153rd Neil Harlow is a pilot
with the MAFFS
How quickly
Airlift Wing Pilot
program for the 153rd
can MAFFS
Airlift Wing and noted that “MAFFS
be ready to deploy
creates a powerful connection
and fight fires? Once
across communities coming
the U.S. Forest Service formally
together to protect, defend, and
requests assistance, it takes
serve my Community, my People,
approximately 35 individuals
my Neighbors.”
and 24-48 hours to arrive in the
location where help is needed.
Q4 2015 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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