By Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
For the second time this week, the Ohio National Guard has activated Soldiers from the 1191st Engineering Company to support Portsmouth, Ohio, by raising additional floodgates as flooding continues.
About 40 Soldiers with the 1191st, based in Portsmouth, deployed again on state active duty Feb. 23 to respond to rising waters that continue to threaten the local community, where several Soldiers live and work. Working alongside the Scioto County Emergency Management Agency and the city of Portsmouth Flood Defense Division, the Citizen-Soldiers will erect two additional floodgates along the Ohio River.
The 1191st was first activated on Sunday, Feb. 18 through Tuesday, Feb. 20, to build two floodgates at the city’s lowest elevation where the need was most immediate.
The 1191st is a horizontal engineering company, capable of operating heavy construction equipment to move tons of earth and material in order to complete construction projects, including the construction of roads and airfields, placing culverts, hauling construction materials and providing force protection.
The Ohio National Guard is uniquely postured and trained to respond to natural disasters whenever they strike to prevent damage, loss of life and property and provide defense support to civil authorities. Most recently, the Ohio National Guard deployed more than 400 Soldiers and Airmen to Texas, Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to support disaster relief efforts resulting from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.