RALEIGH, N.C. - Gov. Pat McCrory praised his administration’s response to the current winter storm at a press conference held at the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center at the N.C. National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, Jan. 28.
“Our goal is to be over prepared,” said McCrory to the assembled reporters.
The North Carolina National Guard, on orders from the governor, deployed 12 North Carolina National Guard force packages.
“We are prepared for this snow storm thanks to great teamwork; emergency management, transportation, highway patrol and the North Carolina National Guard,” said McCrory earlier this week on his Facebook page.
The force packaging concept consists of pre-identified teams of N.C. Guardsmen who use transportation and equipment, tailored to meet the needs of the state during these emergency missions. The teams were deployed to Sanford, Kinston and Rocky Mount in advance of the storm to offer support as timely as possible to the citizens of North Carolina.
Nearly 40 soldiers comprised the teams that assisted stranded motorists, transported doctors and nurses to the snowed-in Elizabeth City Hospital and escorted first responders to accidents in Pamlico and Greene Counties. As a testament to their professionalism, the soldiers drove more than 2,000 miles of missions with no accidents or injuries.
“There is nothing better to hear than a North Carolina National Guard diesel Humvee when you are in need,” said Frank L. Perry, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS).
N.C. Guard leadership stayed synchronized with their state partners by maintaining 24-hour communication with NCDPS, N.C. Emergency Management, State Highway Patrol, N.C. Department of Transportation and many county first responders and local leaders.
The winter storm support is one of many ways that NCNG soldiers and airmen stand ready to deploy to all 100 counties with military vehicles, and aviation assets to preserve North Carolina citizens’ lives and property.