Alaska service members continue to assist Merbok storm recovery, remove 125,000 pounds of debris

Photo By Balinda ONeal | Alaska Army National Guard Spc. Tristan John, right, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment from Kwigillingok, and Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Kua Xiong, a services technician with the 176th Force Support Squadron from Anchorage, discuss options as they repair a damaged porch as part of Operation Merbok Response in Toksook Bay, Alaska, Sept. 24, 2022. More than 130 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O'Neal)  

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

09.26.2022

Story by Alan Brown 

Alaska National Guard Public Affairs   

As of Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, Joint Task Force Alaska, consisting of 164 service members from the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia and the Alaska State Defense Force, have logged more than 2,000 work hours and removed more than 125,000 pounds of debris across 16 communities along the Western Alaska coastline.

Alaska Army National Guard helicopters have flown more than 7,000 miles and logged more than 70 flight hours in support of Operation Merbok Response.

Task Force highlights by community:

• Golovin – Since arriving Thursday, Sept. 22, a team of service members has logged nearly 300 work hours and removed more than 60,000 pounds of debris to include cleaning out the post office and assisting with muck out and debris removal from 18 homes. More than 50,000 pounds of that debris was removed by a national guardsmen using one of the community’s front end loaders. A member of the team was able to help troubleshoot and repair the dryer in the community’s laundry facility.
• Hooper Bay – A team conducted extensive cleanup of more than 12,000 pounds of debris and equipment.
• Shaktoolik – A team of service members have cleaned up more than 54,000 pounds of debris.
• Chevak – A team conducted debris clean up, downed tree removal and additional damage assessment.
• Nightmute – A team conducted debris clean up and assisted the community with damage assessment.
• Toksook Bay – A team made multiple home and property repairs and conducted debris clean up.
• Kipnuk – Service members returned two boats to the water and helped town leaders with damage assessments.
• Newtok – A team conducted debris clean up, restored power to an essential fuel pump and assisted in cleaning up a fuel spill.
• Bethel – Task force members based out of the armory there conducted clean up along the river and removed debris from the VFW Cemetery.
• Nome – Task force members based out of the armory there assisted with community clean up.

Today, missions continue in the communities of Koyuk, Golovin, St. Michael, Alakanuk and Chevak.

Updated photos, A-roll and B-roll packages can be found here:
https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/operationmerbokresponse

• Date Taken: 09.26.2022
• Date Posted: 09.26.2022 20:09
• Story ID: 430141
• Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US