U.S. Army photo by Capt. Patrick Montandon.
Story by Captiva. Shamari Pratt, North Carolina National Guard
North Carolina Army National Guard 449th Combat Aviation Brigade aicrews participated in a showcase hosted by North Carolina Emergency Management at NCNG Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. on April 17, 2025.
The showcase highlighted the wide range of capabilities that the state can employ during natural disasters and emergency response efforts.
The event included demonstrations from first responders and specialized state assets such as the North Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (NCHART), which integrates the North Carolina National Guard, State Highway Patrol, and local fire departments.
The NCNG provides air assets, which includes UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72B Lakota helicopters equipped for hoist rescues, with the Lakota capable of landing in confined spaces. During Hurricane Helene, the NCNG executed over 500 search and rescue missions, including 165 complex hoist rescues with these assets.
“As a member of NCHART, we respond to events such as Hurricane Helene. There were a lot of different complex missions that we accomplished out there,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Jaminez, a NCNG UH-72 Lakota pilot. “Some require the rescue hoist to get people out of their collapsing homes. Some just required us to land in tight spaces to get people out of immediate danger.”
Recently, the NCHART team rescued and extracted an injured firefighter in Asheville, N.C. on March 25, 2025. The team consisted of two NCNG pilots, one NCNG crew member, and one NCNG medic.
“It wasn’t easy, but it was satisfying knowing that we could contribute to helping out the citizens of North Carolina,” said Jaminez.
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