NY National Guard playing vital role in Hurricane Irma relief

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York is playing a vital role in Hurricane Irma relief efforts. A National Guard rescue wing is helping to evacuate the thousands of Americans still stranded on St. Martin.

The National Guard is trained for combat search and rescue, but the last few days they have had to draw on every ounce of training as they battle the full wrath of these hurricanes.

The 106th rescue wing from the NY Air National Guard has been engaged in full-blown rescue in the Caribbean. Since Friday night they have evacuated more than 15,000 Americans from St. Martin, flying them to Puerto Rico, where there are services and help available. They have rescued a woman who is eight months pregnant and two men in cardiac distress - they are trained for medical emergencies.

The National Guardsmen are firefighters, police officers, teachers and neighbors by day, but when emergency calls they throw on their uniforms and become National Guardsmen and women ready to save lives. They had just wrapped up rescuing flood-trapped families in Houston when they were deployed to Puerto Rico - next up? Florida.