New York state is sending members of its Air National Guard to assist California in fighting damaging wildfires.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the deployment on Thursday. The nine airmen are all members of the 174th Attack Wing. They include pilots, sensor and camera operators and image analysts. The teams will use drone surveillance to capture up-to-the-minute information on the fire's location to allow for better placement of fire personnel.
The airmen are scheduled to return to New York on Dec. 22.
Cuomo thanked the airmen for their service and says they represent the very best of New York, a state that he says always helps its neighbors in their time of need.
