tornado damage

An EF-3 tornado tore through Piedmont, Okla., May 24 destroying homes and property. Four members of the Team Vance supported search and rescue operations May 25. The members completed a four-hour search of a one-mile grid. They were searching for a missing 3-year-old boy who was found May 26. (Courtesy photo)

Vance supports tornado relief efforts in western Oklahoma

Published May 27, 2011
By Staff Sgt. James Bolinger
71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Four Vance contractors supported search and rescue operations May 25 in the tornado ravaged Piedmont area west of Oklahoma City.

Three of the members were from the Vance AFB fire department, and one was a volunteer firefighter from Drummond who is also an electrician here.

Eddy England, Chris Doss, Brad Phillips and Matt Buchanan, contractors with Computer Sciences Corporation, were searching for a missing 3-year-old boy, who was found Thursday morning by search and rescue personnel.

The Vance firefighters responded to a mutual aid request from the Garfield County emergency manager and started a search of a one-mile grid at 4:15 p.m. They completed their search at 8:30 p.m. and were relieved of duty after the search was postponed due to dangerous conditions in the area.