OSTEEN, Fla. - As Tropical Storm Fay moved into the Gulf of Mexico this week, the Florida National Guard continued its assistance in the central part of the state by helping search and rescue teams (SRT) traverse flooded areas and roadways.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment's Forward Support Company, provided high-water vehicle transportation that allowed SRTs to reach homes that had been cut-off by washed-out and submerged roadways in the wake of Fay's record breaking rainfall.
With the state seeing more than its fair share of tropical systems over the last four years, the Guard has been actively involved in recovery efforts; however, each system can bring with it a new set of challenges.
In order to deal with these obstacles, Soldiers received Defense Support of Civilian Authorities (DSCA) training to coincide with their annual warrior task training they complete on a yearly basis in order to prepare them for disaster deployment.
Capt. Craig Henson, commander of the Forward Support Company, said the training has made a difference: "From search and rescue, to distributing ice and water or even conducting presence patrols, we make sure that our Soldiers are prepared before they deploy."
Civilian authorities have relied on the Guard to assist with natural disaster recovery from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 to Katrina in 2005. Some Soldiers, such as Sgt. William Graham, who spent 12 years in Marine Corps before joining the Guard, has seen more than their fare share of storms.
"I can remember in 1995 responding to the panhandle for Hurricane Opal and feeling good about the Guard being there to help the citizens," said Graham.
Graham says he has seen the improvement through the years in not just the equipment, but also the personnel: "I think that compared to '95 we are better equipped and have better reaction to these types of storms now, especially with what we went through in 2004 and 2005."
The Soldiers do not rely exclusively on their DCSA training they have received; many have been able to apply their military training from previous deployments for use in relief operations here at the state level.
"Some of the military training that we receive on the Soldier side also carries over into missions like when we have go into urban areas and evacuate people or focus on a more humanitarian mission," said Graham.
These citizen-Soldiers also bring some of their personal work experience to the missions in addition to their training.
"The great thing about the Guard is that we bring a lot of different skills to the table. From firefighters to police to mechanics, we have it all," said Henson.
Henson, himself a veteran the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season, also added: "I think the thing that has helped us out the most with operations like this is the lessons learned from past years, because now we know what we need to accomplish and what is expected of me and my Soldiers."