Guard assists seven states with winter storm emergencies

By Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
National Guard Bureau

(2/1/10) – Winter storms created dangerous conditions across the nation's midsection late last week and into the weekend, and more than 560 National Guard members were called out in seven states to deal with the mess. Before the units were activated most were placed on standby by their state governors in anticipation of the bad weather. Emergency declarations were declared by the governors of Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Virginia.

In Virginia, more than 200 Guardmembers were placed on state active duty with Humvees and heavy equipment to assist emergency responders. Snowfall totals of up to 14 inches were reported around the state.

Maj. Cotton Puryear, the state public affairs officer for the Virginia National Guard, reported Gov. Bob McDonnell visited the Guard's Joint Operations Center in Sandston, Va., Jan. 30 to receive a first-hand briefing from Guardmembers involved in the state-wide response.

The same storm dumped up to 13 inches of snow in North Carolina. About 10 Soldiers and Airmen were on duty in the Tarheel state assisting civilian emergency responders.

In the Midwest, Oklahoma and Arkansas Soldiers and Airmen were dealing with freezing rain that coated trees and power lines in some areas as well as dropped snow and sleet. Hundreds of auto accidents were reported. Over the weekend, up to 82,000 home were reported without power in Oklahoma.

More than 200 Oklahoma Guardmembers were placed on state active duty, delivering food and water and cots to 23 shelters and warming shelter sites throughout the state as well as generators to water plants.

Weeks before these response efforts, severe winter weather blasted northern Arizona. Thunderstorms, snow, rain and fog hampered the continued relief supply flights of Guard aircraft in reaching Indian reservations that were cutoff in northern areas of the state, the Arizona Republic reported.

"As weather across the state begins to clear and communities start to assess damage from this week’s storms, Arizona emergency management officials continue to respond with life-saving resources for those affected by the consequences of heavy rain and snow," according to an Arizona Guard press release.

The Arizona Guard has 79 Soldiers and Airmen still on emergency duty there today, operating heavy equipment and aircraft including Humvees, five-ton trucks and wreckers and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

"The Arizona National Guard is repositioning trucks, Soldiers and helicopters to transport supplies and assist local agencies and tribal nations," Guard officials said.

A recent request from the Arizona Emergency Operations Center asked for seven additional Guardmembers from the Arizona Air Guard's 161st Air Refueling Wing to support the storm relief efforts.

The Nevada National Guard also supported Arizona during its emergency declaration with nine Soldiers, one CH-57 Chinook, two UH-60 Blackhawks, 47 generators and 37 pallets of food, water and cots.

South Dakota Guardmembers continued their support to civil authorities after a winter storm brought high winds, snow and freezing rain to their state.

The governor's office reported that nearly 12,000 households were without power, and a water delivery system serving a three-county area that includes the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation was out of operation. The water system has been returned to operation, and about 2,000 people remained without electrical power as of Jan. 29.

South Dakota National Guard today had 54 members operating heavy equipment, including several dozers and wreckers, conducting search and rescue missions and providing other support to civil authorities.