Photo By Spc. Amy Carle | California Guardsmen work together with members of CAL Fire and California State...... read more read more
HILMAR, Calif., Feb. 17, 2017 -- As the Merced River swelled under heavy rains, it began to flood low-lying fields and roadways and creep towards buildings at the George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area in Hilmar.
Jack Harper, State Park Superintendent for the Four Rivers Sector, was getting worried. Harper requested urgent assistance from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), hoping for help in protecting the park’s critical structures.
Fortunately, the Guardsmen from Delta Company, 1-184th Infantry Battalion were ready to respond to the emergency. Harper had not worked with the National Guard before, and said he was surprised at the speed of their response.
“It was very effective, and we were actually kind of shocked at how quickly it is going,” he said.
Within hours of the request, more than 30 infantrymen from Delta Company descended on the park to fill sandbags and create barriers to fend off the rising water.
“Everyone is ready to do the job,” said Sgt. Roberto Andrade, the company’s truck commander. “We’ve been ready since day one.”
The Soldiers wasted no time getting to work. They built a temporary wall around the residential building and began to move dozens of 30-pound sandbags to protect the park’s kiosk.
For Delta Company, this was just one of many ways they have been serving the community after heavy rains created safety concerns across the state.
The Soldiers had been leaving a four-day drill at Camp Roberts when they received an alert that they were needed for emergency efforts near Oroville. The unit worked with local agencies in Chico before being redirected to Merced to support local flood relief efforts. Delta Company Commander 1st. Lt. Jesse L. Toscano said this was the first time many of the Soldiers had been activated for a state emergency.
“I think it’s a good learning opportunity, and they were very eager and high spirited to get it done,” Toscano said.
If they were tired after nine days on the road, the Soldiers did not show it. They cracked jokes while they worked and never stopped hustling. Toscano credited their successful response to the Soldiers' discipline and physical readiness, as well as a good working relationship with the team from Cal Fire and State Parks.
“They were extremely helpful,” Toscano said. “They gave us the tools we needed and we just took care of it from there.”
Despite the long days, wind, rain and mud, Cpl. Micah Hatch said he was glad to be on this mission.
“I was born and raised here, so it’s pretty nice to be able to help out the community that I grew up in,” Hatch said.
Toscano, wet and dirty from carrying loads of sandbags, agreed. He said this mission is exactly what Delta Company trains for.
“We’re happy to be here, and any time the state of California needs us, we’re ready.”
| Date Taken: | 02.17.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.20.2017 18:47 |
| Story ID: | 224099 |
| Location: | HILMAR, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Always ready to respond, by SPC Amy Carle, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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