ABBOTABAD, Pakistan -- The French-led
fuel farm of the NATO Disaster Relief Team in Pakistan reached the land
mark of 1,000 refuels and more than 2,200 cubic meters delivered, in Abbotabad,
150 km north of Islamabad, in the Kashmir Mountains since the beginning
of operations here December 1st.
The October 8th earthquake devastated
the infrastructure in the Kashmir Mountains leaving millions homeless without
access to medical facilities, food, and potable water. The international
community in coordination with the Government of Pakistan joined forces
to bring relief to those in need. Most roads in the most affected area
were damaged making it difficult to deliver relief supplies to the villages
in the Kashmir Mountains thus helicopters were the best means to do so.
At the beginning of the disaster relief operation NATO, UN and WFO helicopters had to return to Islamabad to refuel. The time spent on refuelling could have been used delivering aid. The NATO fuel farm has thus facilitated more relief flights, since helicopters were able to refuel faster and achieve more rotations a day. It is strategically located in Abbotabad, closer to the disaster area.
It is divided in two sites and manned with 14 personnel. The north site is equipped with one 300 cubic meters bladder and has ten access points. The south site is equipped with one 300 cubic meters bladder with three access points. Complying with the environmental laws, all equipment has anti pollution protection and is secured by Pakistani Armed Forces. Fuel is supplied from Islamabad area refineries using Pakistani trucks sponsored by UN and the fuel farm personnel guaranties its quality for flying safety rules.
The fuel farm refuels all kind of helicopters, mainly the UN's Mi8, Mi26 and CH53 and very soon the Red Cross' Mi8, Pumas and Super Pumas as an agreement is being signed.
It is part of the French-led NATO Air Component Command (ACC), which directs NATO air operations.
As NATO's assets are being redeployed, the government of Pakistan and UN have requested France to keep the fuel farm operating further. The agreement has been signed to extend the refuelling capability up to the 31st March thus allowing UN's and Red Cross' helicopters to gain time for more efficient relief aid.