NE Task Force 1, National Guard train on air rescues that saved dozens of lives in floods

When floodwaters rushed into homes and forced victims onto their porches, the tops of their cars and even their roofs.

Left with nowhere safe to go.

Until the Nebraska National Guard and Nebraska Task Force One came flying by in their helicopters to rescue them.

Together, they saved 66 lives in the first 48-hours of the flooding and 106 total.

“It’s an honor and humbling experience to help people out, once you make access to someone and know they’re okay,” said Brady Papik, Rescue Specialist for Nebraska Task Force One said.

It wasn’t easy.

“It was the worst conditions I’ve ever flown in,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard Davis, with the Nebraska National Guard.

The wind was fierce, the water cold and they were doing their riskiest operation- hoisting.
If it wasn’t for their training, it wouldn’t have been possible.

Thursday morning, members of the Task Force and Guard reunited once again, to practice those same techniques on homes destroyed by flood waters at Camp Ashland.

“We’re simulating the experiences we did encounter during the flood where we have victims in the house surrounded by water, but we can’t use the first level of main entry points,” Davis said.

National Guard aviators fly helicopters above the homes while Task Force members drop down onto the home to cut a whole through the roof or go into the window.

Once they can get inside, the harness up the victim and the helicopter pulls them to safety.

“It’s a very coordinated dance between the two pilots, the crew members running the hoist, the hand and arm signals from below,” said Major Commander Mitchell Tessendorf, who flew a helicopter during the training.

The trainings, while incredibly valuable, don’t even begin to touch how challenging March’s flood conditions were.

“Today it’s beautiful out,” Brady Papik, rescue specialist with Nebraska Task Force One said. “It’s a very controlled environment in training, so the biggest difference in the real situation is you’re going to have adverse weather, adverse conditions-a lot of unknowns.”

They said that’s why the partnership between the Task Force and the National Guard is so valuable.

“The task force responds to every major event in the country, so does the guard aviation, we’re all there. Now we can be there together,” Davis said.

The task force brings their water rescue and paramedic training, while the National Guard brings their aviation expertise.

A combination that’s fairly rare. Davis said there’s only about six other states that actively train task forces and military together.

A relationship that’s only going to continue to grow. They already have additional trainings scheduled for the summer.

Trainings, that like this one, will absolutely save lives.

“Know we train for more than just war,” Tessendorf said. “We’re here for them, so when they need us we respond.”