MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – As COVID-19 changes daily routines at home and work, the 167th Airlift Wing continues its federal and state missions with a dispersed workforce and a commitment to Airmen’s safety.
The wing is maintaining its regular overseas flights in support of aeromedical and contingency missions while more than 40 West Virginia National Guard Airmen support the state’s COVID-19 response efforts in locations throughout the state.
The wing began transitioning Airmen to telework, especially those with medical concerns, in mid-March and within a week only mission-essential personnel were working on the base.
Airmen are supporting the state’s coronavirus response in a variety of roles. They are medically screening people entering the base, augmenting local health departments, serving as drivers and security guards and helping process unemployment claims, among other duties.
Staff Sgt. Erin Engle, an aerospace medical technician for the 167th Medical Group, said her team made 177 patient contacts in one week. The team alerted Emergency Medical Services about a COVID-19 patient whose condition deteriorated between wellness checks.
“The patient ended up on a ventilator and is now doing better, however, reports from hospital staff said this patient had hours left to live if we had not intervened,” she said.
Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Cooper, the 167th Medical Group’s public health noncommissioned officer in charge, said she is advising wing leaders and unit members how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Cooper said the public health office and members of the 167th Medical Group are following local epidemiological investigations, interviewing patients and gathering data on unit members who are at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The 167th MG is responsible for medically clearing all wing Airmen before they transition to state active duty or Title 32 status to support COVID-19 response efforts.
Additionally, the 167th MG began manufacturing cloth masks just days after the Department of Defense recommended wearing masks on DoD installations when unable to stay 6 feet from other people in work centers or public areas.
And the wing hasn’t lost focus on its airlift mission. Two aircraft transported Disaster Relief Bed-Down Sets from Puerto Rico, where they were needed for earthquake victims, back to the 200th RED HORSE Squadron in Mansfield, Ohio, March 24.
Local flight training missions and flight simulator training has been canceled and will be reassessed every two weeks, according to Col. Christopher Sigler, 167th Operations Group commander.
“We are continuing with our contract with the Tanker Airlift Control Center to have crews on active duty to fly missions for the active-duty Air Force,” Sigler said.
To avoid virus spread, aircrew self-quarantine for 14 days after flying missions and the wing’s C-17 Globemaster III aircraft are sealed for three days after a mission. If an aircraft is suspected of having come in contact with the virus, it is decontaminated.
The 167th Fire Department is limiting off-base calls to incidents with the highest potential for loss of life, property or major injury, said Master Sgt. Chris Taylor, 167th fire chief.
Firefighters decontaminate after each call and the fire department and fire apparatus are disinfected at least twice daily.