Military Sending Planes Away from Irma to Michigan
Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard Base ready to house hundreds of military aircraft fleeing Hurricane Irma.
Selfridge Air National Guard Base is coming to the rescue of some military aircraft housed in the path of Hurricane Irma.
Close to a dozen airplanes have arrived at the Michigan base from Florida to avoid the destructive storm.
The commander of the base, Brig. Gen. John Slocum, says Selfridge has the room to handle hundreds of additional aircraft.
“We’re in a good location out of harm’s way but not that far away,” Slocum says. “Then, of course, we’re close to Detroit-Wayne airport where they can fly in-and-out commercially. The folks that have shown up here so far have hopped on a commercial flight to go back home and be with their families and…left the airplanes here. Which is just fine. We can take care of ‘em while they do what they need to for their families.”
Slocum says the only problem he foresees is having enough personnel available to relaunch the planes when they are ready to leave Selfridge.
He tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter the base is ready to accept aircraft from all branches of the military.
