Operation Airdrop on flood relief mission in the Highland Lakes
Operation Airdrop pilot Brent Fontana (in plane) unloads supplies after arriving in Burnet from Arkansas with the help of Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Airforce members John Fingerhut (left) and Dennis Snead. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
As of Thursday, July 10, over 62 planes have flown in supplies to the Burnet Municipal Airport for distribution to flood victims across the Highland Lakes, and more are inbound. Pilots with Operation Airdrop have been volunteering on flood supply missions since 7 a.m. Sunday.
Operation Airdrop, founded in 2017 in response to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, is a network of pilots and aviation enthusiasts from across the country that responds to disasters via planes, getting vital supplies as quickly as possible to where they’re needed the most.
“The response from the aviation community during these deployments is incredible,” Operation Airdop Executive Director Russ Keith told DailyTrib.com over the roar of a jet engine on the Burnet airport runway. “(The devastation from the flood) touched a lot of heartstrings. When you start talking about missing kids, people take notice, and they want to get involved.”
Kerr County suffered the brunt of flood damage, with dozens of missing and dead, including 27 young campers and counselors from Camp Mystic.
In Burnet County, five people have been confirmed dead due to the flood, including 17-year-old Malaya Hammond of Marble Falls and 22-year-old Preston Prince of Kingsland. Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips is still missing as of Thursday.
Some of the Operation Airdrop pilots are Texas natives, like Robert Greene and Marty Fass, who flew in from San Marcos with a load of cleaning supplies Thursday. Others are from out of state, including Brent Fontana, who arrived from Arkansas the same day.
The supplies delivered to the Burnet Municipal Airport were distributed to Ark of Highland Lakes, which is organizing local relief efforts, and people in need across Burnet County. Operation Airdrop also provided at least 8,000 gallons of diesel for work crews using heavy equipment to clear debris.
“My heart goes out to (the community). Anything we can do, just let us know,” said Keith, the operation’s executive director.
Operation Airdrop will continue to run missions and donate monetarily in the Highland Lakes area until there is no longer a need, according to Keith.
Members of the Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force have been volunteering for 12-plus hours a day since Operation Airdrop arrived, lending their Burnet hangar as a base of operations to the nonprofit pilots.
“The CAF Highland Lakes Squadron are incredible people. We couldn’t have done it without them,” Keith said.