Denton Cargo

An ambulance is loaded on board a C-17 aircraft at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. May 29, 2013 by members of the 30th Aerial Port Squadron. The ambulance, part of a Denton Cargo load was flown to the Dominican Republic via a training mission of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

Tech. Sgt. Jack Meara, 30th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation operations center specialist, applies chains to the floor of a 452nd AMW C-17 for forward restraint on a locally donated ambulance at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. May 29, 2013. Chains and other devices were used to insure the vehicle did not move in any direction. The ambulance and eleven pallets of locally donated civilian firefighting equipment were part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Buschang, 30th Aerial Port Squadron superintendent, safely directs a K-loader vehicle filled with pallets to the back of a 452nd Air Mobility Wing C-17 aircraft at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. on May 29, 2013. Eleven pallets of locally donated civilian firefighting equipment along with an ambulance were part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

(Left to right) Senior Airman Francesco Torcasio, 30th Aerial Port Squadron ramp specialist, Master Sgt. Michael Peppers,30 APS load planner, Master Sgt. Christopher Whittey, 452nd Air Mobility Wing loadmaster, and Senior Airman Gary Tredo, 30 APS cargo specialist, push a pallet onboard a 452nd C-17 at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. on May 29, 2013. The pallet of locally donated civilian firefighting equipment along with ten other pallets and an ambulance were part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

Senior Airman Francesco Torcasio, 30th Aerial Port Squadron ramp specialist, positions “sleeper shoring” underneath an ambulance onboard a 452nd AMW C-17 at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. May 29, 2013. The device was used to help minimize or prevent the donated local ambulance from bouncing during flight. The vehicle and eleven pallets of locally donated firefighting equipment were part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

(Left to right) Senior Airman Francesco Torcasio, 30th Aerial Port Squadron ramp specialist, Tech. Sgt. Patrick Williamson,30 APS ATOC specialist, and Senior Airman Gary Tredo, 30 APS cargo specialist, position a pallet onboard a 452nd Air Mobility Wing C-17 at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. on May 29, 2013. The pallet of locally donated civilian firefighting equipment along with ten other pallets and an ambulance were part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

Denton Cargo

Senior Airman Francesco Torcasio, 30th Aerial Port Squadron ramp specialist, loads dunnage on the back of a pickup at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. on May 29, 2013. The dunnage was used to support pallets onboard a 452nd Air Mobility Wing C-17 aircraft. Eleven pallets of locally donated civilian firefighting equipment and an ambulance were all part of a Denton Cargo training flight bound for the Dominican Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Peter Borys)

C-17 delivers Denton cargo to Dominican Republic

Published June 5, 2013
By Peter Borys
914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- A C-17 Globemaster III departed here May 29 on a Denton Amendment mission to deliver 33,000 pounds of equipment and supplies to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

The long-awaited cargo was provided through the Puerto Plata - Rochester (N.Y.) Sister City Committee, who delivered the cargo to Niagara ARS earlier this year awaiting space-available airlift.

The Denton Amendment is a commodities transportation program that is jointly administered by U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense. It allows for the transport of humanitarian goods on a space available basis using U.S. military transportation.

A C-17 crew from the 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., transported an ambulance and 11 pallets of fire-fighting equipment including hoses, jackets, helmets, pants, personal protective equipment, litter baskets, tools and other rescue equipment to Puerto Plata.

The ambulance, donated by Rural Metro, is ready for immediate use, according to Lee Johnson, Puerto Plata Rochester Sister City committee member. Johnson said, the Dominicans plan to completely disassemble, paint and reassemble the vehicle before putting it into service. He said the committee is also working to purchase a fire truck from a public auction and hopes to use the Denton program to deliver it as well.