Volunteer helicopter pilots fly in supplies to San Bernardino mountain residents
Even though Caltrans has cleared 90% of the roads in the area, many people remain trapped and unable to secure food and water.
With some residents still in dire need of help, CalDART, a rescue nonprofit, enlisted the help of its volunteer helicopter pilots to deliver the much-needed supplies.
"For me, I can make it up to the mountain there in about seven minutes," said volunteer pilot Micah Muzio. "It's a very quick flight, back and forth. We have supplies over there, ready to run them up. We can move really, really fast."
CalDART uses local Disaster Airlift Response Teams to make supply drops in natural disaster zones. Muzio lives in Lake Arrowhead with his wife and daughter and knew he had to help.
"It's like veins and capillaries. You have these little capillary roads that head up into the mountain and that's where a lot of people live," said Muzio. "There have been people trapped in their house for more than a week."
When Muzio flew over his mountain community he showed that he only has one narrow lane and in and out of his driveway.
"I feel really bad because I wish I could do more," said Crestline resident Jennifer Bard as she held back tears. "But I have my son. I have to take care of him. It's just not really a good situation for most people."
Bard's son has special needs.
The mother was brought to tears by what she and her neighbors have endured over the past few weeks as these historic storms pummeled their homes.
"I am diabetic, insulin-dependant," said Bard. "Luckily, I had some backup."
Inside the airport's cargo buildings, the first round of supplies of the day arrived and volunteers got to work loading up boxes of food, water and snow shovels.
Some of the supplies are donated by organizations like the Sandals Church, which is six miles away from the San Bernardino Airport.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff said the department has rescued 100 people so far with hundreds of personnel still up on the mountain. Bard said she would've liked to have seen even more help right away.
"I'm assuming they're doing what they can," she said.
So far, there has been one storm-related death and 10 other deaths unrelated to the storm, according to the Sheriff. He claimed that the deaths unrelated to the winter storm and snow were people under medical supervision.
San Bernardino County officials have contacted Los Angeles County and will enlist their help if needed.
CalDART is looking for volunteers for assistance. To help, please contact Peg Gardner: text/cell (775) 815-7626 and (925) 412-2883.
