Courtesy Photo | Citizen-Soldiers of the Puerto Rico National Guard are mobilized as tropical storm...... read more read more
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By Spc. Wilma Orozco
113th MPAD
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico – Citizen-soldiers from the 190th Engineer Battalion, Puerto Rico National Guard, were activated and were ready to respond as tropical storm Isaac made its way through the Caribbean, Aug. 23.
“We have the capability, we have the equipment and we have the manpower to respond,“ said Maj. Edwin R. Cruz, Executive Officer of the 190th Engineer Battalion.
Due to tropical storm Isaac, the 190th En Bn activated 50 of its Soldiers and had 57 additional Soldiers awaiting for instructions, said Cruz.
Within its inventory in Caguas, the 190th En Bn has a vast array of equipment, ready for any mission. The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) capable of carrying up to 2,500 gallons of fuel and the High Mobility Engineer Excavator Type 1 (HMEE1) digger, have played a significant role in past emergencies as the one in Utuado, PR, in early 2012.
“The HMEE1 is used for debris removal. During the emergency in Utuado, there were mudslides, where we used two of them. We took advantage of the opportunity to certify several operators as well,” said Sgt. Javier Narvaez, a HEMTT operator and instructor assigned to the 190th En Bn.
Although the heavy equipment operators were ready, during this emergency it was the portable power equipment technicians, who saw the action.
The Juncos Fire Station had four of their generators down and in need of repairs, three of them were repaired by the 190th Engineer Battalion’s generator repair technicians, said Cruz.
“Our Soldiers are ready, they understand our vision and they are doing what they need to do,” said Cruz.
“The Puerto Rico National Guard 2012 Hurricane Plan is not hollow, it’s alive. Our priority is to safeguard the lives of those we serve,” said Cruz.
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2012 19:05 |
| Story ID: | 93787 |
| Location: | CAGUAS, PR |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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