The Alaska National Guard will station a Black Hawk helicopter and crew in Bethel as part of the state’s response to potential spring flooding.
The helicopter and crew are expected to arrive Tuesday and remain until the risk for flooding along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers subsides, the Guard said in a statement.
The helicopter crew could respond quickly to a fast-moving event that could require evacuations, the Guard said.
[Heavy winter snowpack raises concerns about breakup flooding along Kuskokwim River]
The Guard has previously said its armory in Bethel could serve as a regional evacuation site.
The building could house up to 75 people on cots spaced about 6 feet apart to accommodate pandemic rules.