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NEWS | Jan. 7, 2009

Washington Guard mobilized for snow removal

By National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., - More than 400 members of the Washington National Guard are currently on state active duty performing recovery operations throughout the state as a result of recent heavy snow and rainfall in the region.

Previous heavy snowfall combined with on-going heavy rainfall this week has caused flooding conditions throughout the state.

As a result, Army and Air National Guard members are spreading throughout the state to assist local authorities.

"We have a two-front battle - Eastern Washington and Western Washington," said 1st Lt. Keith Kosik, the Washington National Guard public affairs officer. 

In Eastern Washington, Spokane is the center of gravity. In Western Washington, the rains and subsequent flooding have been reported in the Puget Sound region.

"If I were to map it out for you (where Guard personnel are responding), there would be red dots all over the place," he said.

And the Guard is responding to a variety of missions in those areas.

"In Western Washington, our missions tend to focus on staffing traffic control points, using high-water vehicles to evacuate people, move supplies and conduct door-to-door health and welfare checks," said Kosik, who added that in the eastern part of the state, most of the missions involve snow removal.

According to reports, about one-third of the Guardsmen are in Western Washington, including the 96th Troop Command, the 66th Aviation and the 116th Regional Operations Center. They helped to deliver 15,000 sandbags and a water pump to Raymond, Wash., 20,000 sandbags to Snohomish Public Works and 10 pallets of water to two local fire departments.

Soldiers from the 116th also conducted house-to-house health and welfare checks and manned traffic control points at State Route 7 near Elbe, Wash., and the State Route 7 bypass in Lewis County. 

A Rapid Response Force package from the Army Guard also assisted the Eastside Fire and Rescue Station in Carnation, Wash., with evacuation missions and transporting supplies.

About 150 Air Guard members from the 141st Air Refueling Wing, the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron and the 256th Combat Communications Squadron continued their snow removal efforts in Eastern Washington.

Despite the hectic pace, the Guard’s initial planning paid off. "We were in the game really early and have responded well," said Kosik.

Kosik said most snow removal operations will be complete by today with Guard members staying on duty through the weekend.

 

 

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