Subscribe
WASHINGTON - The D.C. National Guard completed its emergency response mission to Hurricane Sandy 2 p.m., Oct. 31.
“I am extremely pleased with the tremendous effort that our soldiers and airmen put forth these past few days,” said Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard. “The District needed us, and we were there. These Guardsmen were working long hours in the cold and rain supporting their city. They truly lived up to the National Guard motto ‘Always Ready, Always There.’”
Their hard work was noticed across the city. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier said in an interview with NBC that police were free to respond to emergencies thanks to assistance from the D.C. National Guard.
"I don't think at any point during the night I had more than eight officers that had to be assigned to traffic control, because we were being relieved. We'd put in a request, and they'd come out and relieve us.” said Lanier.
Approximately 150 Army and Air Guard personnel reported to emergency support missions as early as 5am Oct. 30th, providing support at fire and police stations and traffic control points across the District of Columbia in response to Hurricane Sandy. Preceding storm, the Guardsmen were on standby, busily preparing equipment and vehicles for emergency missions.
A detail of six humvees provided transportation to the Mayor of Washington, Vincent Gray, Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard and other D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency officials Oct. 30th.
“We didn’t know what we would find out there, and we were prepared for the worst.” said Mayor Gray in a press conference Oct. 30th. “I express appreciation to the D.C. National Guard and Maj. Gen. Schwartz.”
Across the country, more than 61,100 National Guard members were available to assist civilian authorities in potentially affected states in support of relief efforts the areas worst affected by Hurricane Sandy.
The D.C. National Guard is leaning on the experience of responding to other natural disasters. In recent years, the D.C. National Guard responded to the Derecho storms, Hurricane Irene and the Snowpocalypse blizzard.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2012 17:16 |
| Story ID: | 97081 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 137 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DC National Guard completes Hurricane Sandy response mission, by CPT Miranda Summers Lowe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
