Governor visits National Guard storm cleanup effort

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Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Gov. Scott Walker got a first-hand look at storm cleanup efforts by the Wisconsin National Guard and other state agencies in two northern Wisconsin counties Sept. 23.

"After surveying the cleanup effort, I was truly amazed by the good work being done to repair the damage done by storms over the summer," Walker said. "I'd like to thank the local elected officials, hardworking state employees at numerous agencies, the Wisconsin National Guard, state legislators from the area and other interested parties for coming together to take decisive action to help deal with this massive blowdown."

Approximately 50 members of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 724th Engineer Battalion have been working since Sept. 6 to clear branches, limbs and tree trunks from roadsides in Burnett and Douglas counties. The powerful July 1 storm toppled trees across 130,000 acres in six northern Wisconsin counties. The storm debris in the rights of ways poses a safety and fire hazard.

"This is really helping our local townships," Bobby Sichta, Burnett County Emergency Management director, said Sept. 19. "[Without the National Guard's assistance,] it would be more expensive to local townships. They've already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Sichta said that the storm damage for Burnett County was estimated at $1.8 million, and that many towns have taken out loans to pay for initial debris clearing efforts.

The Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers began the mission as an Innovative Readiness Training project, which allowed existing federal funds in the training budget to be used. The Department of Defense revoked its IRT approval Sept. 8, and Walker placed the Soldiers on state active duty. Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, engaged leaders at the National Guard Bureau to restore federal funding Sept. 9 via additional annual training orders.

The state Department of Corrections has approximately 30 inmates in three teams, two male and one female, assisting the National Guard in clearing storm debris. The state Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation are also involved in different aspects of storm recovery.

The 724th Engineer Battalion and local officials had identified more than 162 miles of road as having the greatest need of debris clearance. As of Sept. 22, the Guardsmen had cleared close to 86 miles, or just over 52 percent. Maj. Brandon Manglos, officer in charge of the cleanup effort, explained that weather and density of fallen timber in some work areas have hindered the cleanup pace somewhat.

"You've got six toppled logs on top of each other in some places," he said Sept. 19. "It takes a while to be safe."

However, Guard members have picked up the pace where possible, clearing more than eight miles of roadside Sept. 22. This was accomplished by working two teams in tandem, so that one team - with heavy equipment, wood chippers and chain saws - completes work at its area and "leapfrogs" the second team to begin work farther down the road.

"We adjust our tactics," Manglos said.

Dunbar praised the "Men of the North," many of whom just returned from a deployment to Iraq, for their efforts.

"This is the Guard at its best," he said. "Deployed overseas in support of contingency operations, and then responding to the needs of our community a few months later. It means an awful lot to the folks who live here."

The 724th cleanup mission, originally scheduled to conclude on Sept. 30, has been extended until Oct. 12. As of Sept. 24, the National Guard had begun cleanup efforts in all 11 townships.