Operation Airdrop Sets Up Isaias Relief Hub at Gulf Shores Airport, Asks for Chainsaws, Tarps and Water

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Operation Airdrop, a disaster relief nonprofit that uses volunteer pilots to fly supplies into storm-damaged communities, has made Gulf Shores International Airport its base for Hurricane Isaias recovery work, and it is asking Baldwin County residents and businesses to help stock the shelves.

The Texas-based group began relief operations in Gulf Shores on Sunday, Oct. 11, and set up a resource collection point at the Gulf Air Center at the airport, Jack Edwards Field. The group has primarily been moving water and supplies to Evergreen, about 100 miles northeast of Baldwin County, and to Pensacola, Florida, and it plans to stay in the area for the next several days.

From Baton Rouge to Gulf Shores

Russ Keith, Operation Airdrop’s executive director, said the team staged in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while Isaias approached. Once the storm passed, volunteers loaded up their vehicles and drove to Gulf Shores to set up.

Much of the group’s early effort has focused on inland communities that were hit hard and remain cut off. Keith said a call he received Monday made the need in Evergreen clear.

“Today, I got a phone call from Randal Brown, who is running for sheriff (in Evergreen), and he said they were desperately in need of water and food. They’re pretty well still blocked in, their water’s not running and people are running out of food,” Keith said Monday.

Evergreen, the seat of Conecuh County, lies along Interstate 65 in south-central Alabama. Isaias pushed well inland after making landfall near Destin, Florida, on the night of Oct. 9, and communities north of the coast, including Brewton in neighboring Escambia County, have been among the hardest hit in the state, with toppled trees, blocked roads and extended power and water outages.

Local businesses have already stepped in to help. Keith said Publix in Gulf Shores and Home Depot in Foley donated water that Operation Airdrop will distribute to communities such as Evergreen.

What Operation Airdrop needs

The group is asking residents, businesses and community organizations to donate supplies that support cleanup and recovery, as well as the people doing that work. Requested items include:

• Cleanup and repair: Tire patch kits, hammers, chainsaws, chain sharpeners, crowbars, gloves and commercial trash bags.
• Chainsaw supplies: Chainsaw oil and premixed chainsaw gas.
• Safety and first aid: Eye protection, eyewash, ear protection, bandages and gauze.
• Outdoor protection and hydration: Mosquito repellent, sunscreen, water and electrolytes, including pickle juice.
• Additional supplies: Tarps, roofing nails, baby formula, baby diapers, adult diapers, nonperishable food and feminine hygiene products.

Where and when to drop off donations

• Location: Gulf Air Center, Gulf Shores International Airport, Jack Edwards Field (KJKA), 3180 Airport Drive, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• Fuel and liquids: Anyone planning to donate chainsaw fuel or other liquids should confirm handling and drop-off instructions with Operation Airdrop before delivering them.
• Updates: The group says it will post additional arrival instructions on its official social media channels as the mission develops.

Who Operation Airdrop is

Operation Airdrop was founded in 2017 in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, when volunteer pilots began flying supplies into flooded Texas communities that were hard to reach by road. The nonprofit has since grown into a network of volunteer pilots, ground crews and local partners that deliver food, water and medical supplies to areas affected by natural disasters.

The group has responded to a string of major storms since then, including Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle in 2018, Hurricane Ida in Louisiana in 2021 and Hurricane Helene in the Southeast in 2024. Its model relies on general aviation: private pilots donate their aircraft, fuel and time to shuttle loads from a central collection point to small airports near the hardest-hit areas, often reaching communities faster than trucks can when roads are blocked by trees and debris.

Ground volunteers sort donations at the hub, load aircraft and vehicles, and coordinate with local officials and partners on where supplies are most needed. In Isaias’ case, much of the work so far has gone by road from Gulf Shores to Evergreen and Pensacola.

Why the airport

Gulf Shores International Airport is a natural staging area. It has room for aircraft, trucks and pallets of supplies, and its location puts it within reach of both the Alabama coast and the Florida Panhandle. The airport shut down at noon Friday, Oct. 9, as Isaias approached.

Airports often serve as relief hubs after hurricanes because they offer large paved areas, hangar space and access for both air and ground deliveries, and because damaged roads sometimes make it faster to fly critical supplies into a small regional airfield than to drive them.

Other ways to help after Isaias

Operation Airdrop is one of many groups working across the region. Residents who want to help can also:

• Give to established local organizations such as food banks, the American Red Cross and United Way of Southwest Alabama, which has opened 2-1-1 help lines and a relief fund.
• Check out any group before donating money. The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool can help confirm a charity is legitimate.
• Donate what organizations specifically ask for. Unrequested items, especially used clothing, can overwhelm volunteers who must sort and store them.
• Volunteer through an organized group rather than self-deploying into damaged areas, where unplanned visitors can strain limited resources.

Residents in need of help after the storm can call 2-1-1 to be connected with local resources.