SC Army National Guard Engineer Company assists with road repairs

Photo By Stephen Hudson | U.S. Soldiers from the South Carolina Army National Guard’s 124th Engineering Company based in Saluda, S.C., use front end loaders to load dirt into a Lexington County Public Works dump truck at the barrow pit in Swansea, Oct. 9, 2015. The dirt is loaded into dump trucks and carried to numerous spots in Lexington County for SC Department of Transportation to repair washed out roads. The South Carolina National Guard has activated more than 3,300 Soldiers and Airmen to support state and county emergency management agencies and first responders as historic flooding impacts South Carolina. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Stephen D. Hudson/Released)  

SWANSEA, SC, UNITED STATES

10.09.2015

Story by 1st Lt. Stephen Hudson 

South Carolina National Guard

SWANSEA, S.C. – Numerous dirt roads in rural parts of Lexington County were severely damaged after the heavy rains fell across the state earlier this week, and Lexington County has requested the National Guard’s help in repairing those roads.

The South Carolina Army National Guard’s 124th Engineer Company from Saluda is using front-end loaders and dump trucks to move dirt from a local barrow pit here to help the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Lexington County repair washed-out roads.

“It feels good to help out,” Army Staff Sgt. Thomas McCollum, said of the flood relief mission.

McCollum, who joined the South Carolina Army National Guard in 1987, is no stranger to domestic operations and deployments. He was activated after Hurricane Hugo hit the state in 1989. He has also completed combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 124th.

The steady flow of Lexington County and SC DOT dump trucks in and out of the barrow pits is part of the repair process. The tons of soil loaded by the National Guard Soldiers are moved to various sites across the county as SC DOT repairs the roads. The 124th has also spent several days at the McCrady Training Center loading sandbags to be used around the state after the flooding.

McCollum said the company, which began this tasking on Oct. 8, has 26 Soldiers on scene with front-end loaders, scrapers, dump trucks and bulldozers on site.

The South Carolina National Guard currently has 3,300 personnel on state active duty across the state doing jobs which include search and rescue, traffic control points, handing out water at distribution points and assisting with debris removal.

• Date Taken: 10.09.2015
• Date Posted: 10.09.2015 15:17
• Story ID: 178602
• Location: SWANSEA, SC, US
• Hometown: SALUDA, SC, US