Ninety members of the Pennsylvania National Guard may soon be going Connecticut to help that region recovery from last weekend’s winter storm.
Last week the storm dropped upwards of three feet of snow on part of the north east. Pennsylvania will send more National Guard members to help than any other state.
“It’s always exciting to get there and help people who really need it,” commented PA National Guard member Justin Martz. “And this unit is very good with that.”
Earlier Tuesday, 90 members of the PA National Guard, mostly engineers, left with 25 pieces of equipment for Connecticut. The winter storm left the state stranded as its National Guard engineers are currently in Afghanistan.
The PA troops will help with snow removal, stranded cars, and perform welfare checks. They will also help get health care professionals to hospitals and assist people who have no power or food.
Other guard members will support the engineers with security and information.
“This is part of the job,” commented National Guard member Brian Cooper. “We’re here to help on the home front. It’s what we do as the National Guard.”
“This is why I joined the guard as an equipment operator to do disaster relief,” commented Micael Graby. “And help out people who need it when bad weather or other things happen.”
These guardsmen do have previous experience in recovery efforts. Many have also been deployed overseas in recent years.
“If there’s any unit out there that can go up and take care of the situation it’s the horse (which is what they are known as). I’ve deployed with them twice,” Martz added. “No matter what we come upon we adapt to overcome it and complete the mission.”
The mission is expected to last about a week.
Last week the storm dropped upwards of three feet of snow on part of the north east. Pennsylvania will send more National Guard members to help than any other state.
“It’s always exciting to get there and help people who really need it,” commented PA National Guard member Justin Martz. “And this unit is very good with that.”
Earlier Tuesday, 90 members of the PA National Guard, mostly engineers, left with 25 pieces of equipment for Connecticut. The winter storm left the state stranded as its National Guard engineers are currently in Afghanistan.
The PA troops will help with snow removal, stranded cars, and perform welfare checks. They will also help get health care professionals to hospitals and assist people who have no power or food.
Other guard members will support the engineers with security and information.
“This is part of the job,” commented National Guard member Brian Cooper. “We’re here to help on the home front. It’s what we do as the National Guard.”
“This is why I joined the guard as an equipment operator to do disaster relief,” commented Micael Graby. “And help out people who need it when bad weather or other things happen.”
These guardsmen do have previous experience in recovery efforts. Many have also been deployed overseas in recent years.
“If there’s any unit out there that can go up and take care of the situation it’s the horse (which is what they are known as). I’ve deployed with them twice,” Martz added. “No matter what we come upon we adapt to overcome it and complete the mission.”
The mission is expected to last about a week.