RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia National Guard continues to support response efforts after Hurricane Helene with troops staged Oct. 4 in Abingdon, Virginia. Approximately 20 Soldiers with tactical trucks remain on duty, able to conduct transportation, debris reduction and commodity distribution missions.
In the immediate wake of the Hurricane, VNG Soldiers conducted high-water transport with tactical trucks, assisted with evacuations, and helped clear trees. VNG aviation crews and Chesterfield County Fire and EMS personnel rescued six people by helicopter hoist.
“We are really proud of the contribution Virginia National Guard troops have made to the multi-agency response effort to the impacts of Hurricane Helene,” said Brig. Gen. Todd H. Hubbard, Virginia National Guard director of the joint staff. “Our Soldiers have maintained a high state of flexibility to help wherever they can, and it has made a positive impact. I am also very glad to see the years of training between Virginia National Guard aviation crews and Chesterfield County first responders result in rescuing six Virginians. It has been a tremendous team effort all the way around.”
After Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Sept. 25, the VNG mobilized two Black Hawk helicopters to stage in Roanoke for possible missions. The VNG Black Hawk crews and Chesterfield first responders form the Virginia Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, providing rotary wing hoist capabilities and aerial rescue evacuation. After years of training together, this was the first time the HART had been employed in a real-world response situation.
The HART conducted hoist operations rescuing six citizens Sept. 27-28 in the Abingdon area. They also conducted route and area search and rescue flights and transported a ground rescue team.
A third VNG Black Hawk capable of conducting commodity movement, transportation, or damage assessments was on standby Sept. 28-29 in Roanoke.
The VNG also mobilized 20 Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high mobility transport Sept. 26, and the troops were trained and ready to conduct movement, debris reduction and supply transport missions.
Soldiers assisted the Virginia State Police with a high water evacuation of two citizens and their two dogs from their home near Damascus on Sept. 27. Also, they assisted first responders with the evacuation of 11 citizens over a washed-out bridge near Damascus on Sept. 28.
Soldiers assisted with distributing food and water in Independence for approximately three hours Sept. 29, and delivered supplies to citizens with restricted access to resources in Fries.
From Sept. 27 - Oct. 2, the Soldiers cleared about 98 trees in Scott County, Russell County, and Washington County and delivered two 5-ton tactical truckloads of food and water to two separate point of distribution sites in the Damascus area.
On Oct. 3, Soldiers operated in the Damascus, Virginia, area and removed 12 trees, distributed 134 cases of water and 20 meals, helped provide security for a container with $15,000 worth of food and supplies and loaded a transport container of medical equipment including 20 wheelchairs, 30 crutches, 15 walkers and ten portable latrines.
The VNG mobilized a second group of 20 Soldiers with tactical trucks Oct. 1 to rotate with the Soldiers who had been on duty since Sept. 26.
In addition to the troops staged in Abingdon, Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force are providing logistics, administrative, operations center, weather forecasting and public information support to the mission.
During domestic operations, the VNG receives missions from VDEM and responds as part of a multi-agency team with other state and local agencies to provide support capabilities requests by Virginia communities. VDEM determines where capabilities are allocated, and the VNG does not respond to direct requests for assistance.
Localities looking for VNG support should make their requests to VDEM, and they determine which organization can best provide the requested assistance as they coordinate the regional and statewide response.