La. National Guardsmen respond to May flooding event

By Sgt. 1st Class Denis B. Ricou, LANG Public Affairs Office

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana National Guard, as directed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, responded to flooding throughout the state following multiple days of steady rainfall since May 18.

At the height of the response, the LANG had 393 guardsmen activated to support a variety of missions, including search and rescue, engineering, and aerial reconnaissance.

Through the use of up to 79 high-water vehicles and 19 boats, guardsmen rescued 25 people and two pets in Lake Charles.

Engineer Assessment Teams assisted local and state officials in determining specific needs of communities to combat rising flood waters, while work teams in multiple locations installed 3,350 feet of Tiger Dam, a series of water-filled tubes that create a barrier to mitigate flooding.

Louisiana’s Guardsmen are trained, ready and fully equipped to stand up at any moment to protect lives and property, maintain communications, and ensure the continuity of operations and government.