RICHMOND, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard staged Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high-water transportation Aug. 8, 2024, at VNG facilities in Lynchburg, Danville and Petersburg in order to support the response to impacts of Tropical Storm Debby.
The personnel were ready conduct missions Thursday morning and would link up with local emergency managers to provide assistance if needed. VNG troops will also had chain saw teams to conduct debris reduction operations, and helicopter rescue hoist capabilities were also on standby. With no requests from localities for assistance, VNG troops transitioned to routine operations late in the day Aug. 9 and all personnel were released from duty Aug. 10.
“With just over 24 hours notice, our Virginia National Guard Soldiers answered the call to be ready to help their fellow Virginians,” said Brig. Gen. Todd Hubbard, Virginia National Guard director of the joint staff. “It is really impressive how quickly and safely they responded, and we owe a special thanks to their families and employers for their critical support. I am incredibly proud of the great team effort that went into getting everyone in place and ready to go before the weather impacts begin.”
Hubbard said VNG planners have been in close contact with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management over the last few days to determine what capabilities would be helpful and where it would be best to locate them.
“Our partners in state and local government count on the VNG to provide additional capabilities to help make sure the appropriate resources are available for the weather response,” Hubbard said. “Once again, our troops have proven they live up to the “Always ready, always there’ motto of the National Guard,” Hubbard said.
The VNG alerted approximately 130 personnel Aug. 6, 2024. In addition to the troops ready for high water transportation and debris reduction missions, Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force will provide logistics, administrative, operations center and public information support at multiple locations.
Typical missions for the VNG during hurricane or tropical storm response operations are transporting first responders or distributing food and water to citizens in remote areas using tactical trucks capable of moving through high water as well as providing chain saw teams to help reduce debris to clear roads or power line routes.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s emergency declaration authorized the VNG to bring personnel on state active duty to support state and local authorities in advance of possible severe weather.
During domestic operations, the VNG receives missions from VDEM and responds as part of a multi-agency team with other state and local agencies to provide support capabilities requests by Virginia communities. VDEM determines where capabilities are allocated, and the VNG does not respond to direct requests for assistance.
Localities looking for VNG support should make their requests to VDEM, and they determine which organization can best provide the requested assistance as they coordinate the regional and statewide response.
The VNG most recently supported emergency response operations during wildfires in Madison County in November 2023, with approximately 30 Guardsman assisting the Virginia Department of Forestry on the ground, while VNG aviation crews supported firefighting efforts in Patrick and Madison Counties. In September 2023, the VNG staged approximately 35 Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high water transportation at facilities in the Hampton Roads area in order to support the response to impacts of Tropical Storm Ophelia.
Read more about VNG response operations at https://ngpa.us/21818.