WISE, Va. - Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers have continued to assist the Wise County Sheriff's Office in response to winter weather that dropped snow and ice throughout the state. That assistance includes responding to five medical and safety evacuations since coming on state active duty, with three of those evacuations saving the patients’ lives.
Soldiers assisted sheriff's deputies and local emergency medical services with two patients in immediate need of dialysis and another whose oxygen supply was running low, said 1st Sgt. Billy Bartlett, first sergeant of the Virginia Army Guard’s 1033rd Engineer Company, adding that the Guard's ability to transport through heavy snow helped save the patients' lives.
On two occasions Soldiers created field-expedient stretchers from blankets and tarps to transport patients to a medical evacuation point.
"We figured out the patient couldn't stand up, so we tried to find whatever we could to keep him warm," said Spc. Nicholas Turner, a heavy equipment operator with the 1033rd Eng. Co., describing an evacuation where the patient was running low on oxygen. "It was great teamwork, and everyone stayed cool and calm."
Turner said they used a combination of a tarp and blanket to create a stretcher and he estimated they carried the patient more than 150 yards through deep snow and ice.
"It is great that we get to provide service to our community," said Pfc. Dakotah Wilson. "It warms the heart and reminds me why I joined the Guard."
Bartlett estimated that Soldiers have run more than 40 resupply missions delivering food, water, medicine and kerosene to the towns of Appalachia, Pound, Norton, Wise, Big Stone Gap and Coeburn. They also delivered more than 25 pallets of water to resupply locations in the county.
Soldiers conducted those missions in direct support of the Wise County Sheriff's Office, with missions often being led by local law enforcement and the Soldiers providing mobility with their Humvees or light-medium tactical vehicles.
“The Guard has really enhanced our abilities to get to people and places we couldn’t reach with the roads being in the shape they are in," said Wise County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Grant Kilgore. “These are great (Soldiers), and everyone has worked really well together."
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Feb. 16 and authorized up to 300 Virginia National Guard personnel to be brought on state active duty for possible response operations. Approximately 125 Soldiers reported for duty that evening. Aviators from the 2nd Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment delivered food, mail and medical supplies to residents of Tangier Island, located in the Chesapeake Bay. Residents of the roughly one square mile island had been unable to receive routine seaport deliveries due to icy conditions.
Additional Soldiers are scheduled to be brought on duty to help clear ice and snow berms created by plowing of primary roads. Soldiers will continue to assist with the delivery of food, water and other supplies as needed.
Meanwhile in Georgia, teams from the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Civil Engineering Squadron have pre-positioned snow and debris removal equipment in preparation of potential additional winter storms that may move through the area this week.
“The advantage of utilizing us is that we are a force-multiplier to the civilian authorities who may not be able to respond as rapidly as we can," said Senior Master Sgt. James Love, superintendent with the 116th CES. “Providing assistance as augmentees strengthens the relationship with state and local authorities while minimizing the impact to the community."