COLCHESTER, Vt. - Vermont Army National Guard Soldiers worked with urban search and rescue teams to evacuate 19 people from locations in Barre, Northfield and Moretown experiencing flooding due to heavy rain caused by Hurricane Beryl.
The rescues on the evening of July 10 were in addition to the dozens of evacuations by urban search and rescue teams across Vermont.
“Our teams reacted quickly to come together, prepare and be ready to help when needed,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew Tatro, commander of the 40th Army Band and officer in charge of the National Guard reaction force teams. “We partnered with multiple outstanding swift water teams and helped to serve the citizens of Vermont. Helping to rescue and evacuate people in need reinforces our pride in what we can do as part of the Vermont National Guard.”
One team staged in Berlin helped rescue six people from Barre and conducted welfare checks in multiple areas, including Richmond and Middlesex. The other team staged in Berlin rescued 11 people, two dogs and four cats in Barre, Northfield and Moretown.
The team staged in Underhill conducted two missions, rescuing one man from the top of his vehicle and another from a different location.
Teams staged in other towns conducted multiple missions to check on people and monitor road conditions.
About 15 Soldiers from the Garrison Support Command’s National Guard Reaction Force staged high-water vehicles to support Vermont Urban Search and Rescue Teams ahead of the storm in areas of likely impact.
The Vermont National Guard will continue to assist the state as needed and is responding to a request by the New Hampshire Army National Guard for aviation assets to help with flood response there.
“We supported the state following Hurricane Irene, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, floods in 2023, as well as on numerous other occasions,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, Vermont National Guard adjutant general. “Our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are always ready to support their communities when needed.”