An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Sept. 2, 2008

Mississippi Guard unit helps with Hurricane Gustav preparations

By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates Air Force Print News

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - When Jamie Jobe heard the knock on her door, she thought nothing of it. Having lived in Gulfport, Miss. most of her life, she was used to her neighbors coming over for a chat or the occasional youngster asking if her lawn needed mowing.

This time it was neither.

Instead, two soldiers in uniform told her she needed to evacuate her home - a trailer in a residential area of Gulfport - by the end of the day. Hurricane Gustav, a dangerous category three storm currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to hit the Gulf Coast and bring devastating winds and rain with it.

"We're basically going door-to-door and telling people who live in trailers that the governor has ordered them to evacuate," said Sgt. 1st Class Tim Bell, a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard's 98th Cavalry Regiment.

Most of these trailers were provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to people whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now, three years later, these same residents are being asked to leave again.

"It's for their own safety, but it's still hard for some of them to leave," Sergeant Bell said. "We're just reinforcing the governor's announcement and ensuring everyone gets the word to get out of town or seek shelter elsewhere."

If residents aren't home, the Guard members hang an informational pamphlet on the doorknob that tells the residents of the evacuation order and gives them a number to call for more information.

While the guardsmen can't force anyone to leave, most residents require little prodding.

The memory of Katrina has seen to that.

"Me and my husband are headed to the hospital and we're going to shelter there," Mrs. Jobe said. "Katrina was bad and they're saying this one could be worse, so we're not going to take any chances."

There are an estimated 1,500 FEMA trailers and cottages in the Gulfport area and the goal is for each one to be visited.

"We need to let these people know they need to leave as soon as possible," Sergeant Bell said.

But, while keeping herself and her husband safe are the priority, Mrs. Jobe understands she may be leaving her home for the last time.

"I just hope it's still here when I get back," she said.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army Capt. Ricky Kuhn, 817th Engineer Company, Sapper, outgoing commander, left, watches as Lt. Col. Steven Bohl, 164th Engineer Battalion commander, passes the 817th Engineer Company, Sapper, guidon to his older brother, Capt. Toby Kuhn, signifying the relinquishing of command, during the change of command ceremony in Jamestown, North Dakota, Jan. 12, 2025. The brothers enlisted into the U.S. Army at different times, but both commissioned in 2017.
North Dakota Brothers Exchange Command of Engineer Company
By Staff Sgt. Tyler Wall, | Jan. 17, 2025
JAMESTOWN, N.D. - Capt. Ricky Kuhn relinquished command of the North Dakota National Guard's 817th Engineer Company (Sapper) to his older brother, Capt. Toby Kuhn, in a change of command ceremony Jan. 12. "My brother and I...

Swedish military staff officers meet with leaders of the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, during a command post exercise Nov. 21, 2024. The exercise was one of three command post exercises held to prepare for a division Warfighter exercise that begins Jan. 24, 2025.
New York 42nd Infantry Division Heads to Warfighter Exercise
By Eric Durr and Lt. Col. Jean Kratzer, | Jan. 17, 2025
TROY, N.Y. - More than 1,300 New York Army National Guard Soldiers head for Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Jan. 24 to take part in the Warfighter command post exercise.The Soldiers are part of the Troy-based 42nd Infantry...

Virginia and North Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers train on the basics of military funeral honors during a course hosted by the Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Program Dec. 12, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Military Funeral Honors Level 1 training is a five-day course that prepares Soldiers to conduct professional military funeral honors in accordance with service tradition.
National Guard Soldiers Prepare for Funeral Honors Duty
By A.J. Coyne, | Jan. 17, 2025
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Two Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers and two North Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers trained on the basics of military funeral honors during a course hosted by the Virginia National Guard...