BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana National Guard has now mobilized more than 250 personnel in an effort to build protective barriers against the approaching flood waters and to patrol levees in support of local, parish and state officials at the request of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Jan. 8.
The 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, with the help of the 225th Engineer Brigade’s three bridge erection boats and five-bay package, began transporting 12,550 linear feet of protective levee barriers to Avoca Island in St. Mary Parish early this morning from a staging point in Amelia. The 225th has created a ferry to carry the equipment and materials to the island.
The LANG Mobile Operations Command Center is operating in Morgan City to support the Avoca Island mission. More than 100 Soldiers are conducting 24-hour operations to build the barrier in time.
More than 60 engineers are also constructing 2,600 linear feet of protective levees in Krotz Springs in St. Landry Parish.
LANG aviators conducted an aerial survey of the Morganza Spillway Dam and surrounding affected area in support of the Corps of Engineers, Jan. 7. They remain available to conduct further aerial missions as needed.
Guardsmen also began 24-hour levee patrols in the parishes of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison and Tensas in the 5th Levee District to inspect for leaks or seepage.
Two sand-bagging chutes have been provided to state officials in Tensas Parish. The LANG has also issued 13,000 sandbags each to Angola, Avoyelles Parish and West Feliciana Parish.
Louisiana’s Guardsmen are trained, ready and equipped to stand up at any moment to protect lives and property, maintain communications, and ensure the continuity of operations and government.
Louisiana National Guard Pvt. Taner Mansur of Walker La., assigned to the 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, drivers a M105 Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover to repair a levee in Krotz Springs, La., in advance of expected river flooding, Jan. 8, 2016. The Louisiana National Guard has now mobilized more than 250 personnel in an effort to build protective barriers against the approaching flood waters and to patrol levees in support of local, parish and state officials at the request of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by MSgt. Toby Valadie)Louisiana National Guard Pvt. Taner Mansur of Walker La., assigned to the 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, drivers a M105 Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover to repair a levee in Krotz Springs, La., in advance of expected river flooding, Jan. 8, 2016. The Louisiana National Guard has now mobilized more than 250 personnel in an effort to build protective barriers against the approaching flood waters and to patrol levees in support of local, parish and state officials at the request of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by MSgt. Toby Valadie)Louisiana National Guard Pfc. Austin Burdette, of Walker La., assigned to the 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, repairs a levee in Krotz Springs, La., in advance of expected river flooding, Jan. 8, 2016. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by MSgt. Toby Valadie)A Louisiana National Guardsman and local officials load HESCO barriers onto a light medium tactical vehicle to be used to construct a 12,550-foot long levee on Avoca Island in St. Mary Parish in advance of expected river flooding, Jan. 8, 2016. More than 100 Guardsmen are working around the clock on the project. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Garrett Dipuma)Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, joins Gov. Bobby Jindal, Gov. Elect John Bel Edwards and other officials in a unified command group meeting to discuss plans to protect people and property from expected river flooding at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness’ Emergency Operations Center in Baton Rouge, Jan. 8, 2016. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joshua Barnett)
