FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 31, 2009

Contact:
Capt. Chris Heathscott
State Public Affairs Officer
Arkansas National Guard
(501) 212-5020 
christopher.heathscott@ar.ngb.army.mil 

750 Guardsmen now supporting civil authorities in North Arkansas ~ Guard tasked with 71 missions in response to recent ice storm

CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, Ark. – The Arkansas National Guard deployed nine 50-man support teams to various counties across North Arkansas in response the Governor Mike Beebe's tour of the area devastated by last week's ice storm. In total, approximately 750 Arkansas Air and Army National Guardsmen are supporting civil authorities in 23 counties across the northern third of the state.

After marking a record year in its history with 81 state active duty missions in 2008, the Arkansas National Guard was tasked with its 71st mission of 2009 at approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 31 – just 10 shy of last year's total and only 4 months into the fiscal year.

In response to the devastation left behind this ice storm, the Guard has responded with missions such as providing power generation, cots and blankets, emergency shelter, fuel, water, health and welfare checks, route clearance, shower systems, radios and chainsaws, damage assessment flights, and a Disaster Relief Bed-down System – reportedly the first deployment of such in the history of the United States. The DRBS is an Air National Guard tent system that provides portable showers, washers and dryers. 

Although this list will not be all inclusive, a rough summary of the Arkansas National Guard's overall response as of 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, includes:

* 750 Soldiers and Airmen
* 2,300 Cots and Blankets
* 200 tarps
* 143 vehicles (humvees, 2 ½ and 5 ton trucks) for National Guard county support teams
* 20 2 ½ ton trucks for FEMA Generator delivery
* 8 full 4-to-500-gallon water trailers
* 2 full 5,000-gallon water tankers
* 2 full 2,500 Gallon fuel tankers
* 35 Chainsaws 
* 22 Generators
* 2 Blackhawk helicopters for damage assessment flights
* 1 Disaster Relief Bed-down System
* 1 backhoe
* 1 front end loader
* 1 tractor trailer for movement of equipment
* 1 shower system

Current County by county support:
NOTE: Response by the Arkansas National Guard occurs when tasked by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management as a result of a request for support by a mayor, county judge or county sheriff.

Baxter County –
Emergency shelter – Mountain Home Armory
400 cots and blankets
County Support Team (50 personnel and 15 vehicles)

Benton County –
Emergency shelter – Siloam Springs Armory
1 30kw generator

Boone County – 
Emergency shelter – Harrison Armory
300 Cots and Blankets
Health and Welfare support team (20 personnel and 5 vehicles)
1 full water tanker (4 or 500 gallons)
County Support Team (50 personnel and 15 vehicles)

Carroll County –
County Support Team (50 personnel and 15 vehicles)

Clay County –
1 60kw generator
1 full 5,000 gallon water tanker
Emergency shelter – Rector Armory
County Support Team (50 personnel and 20 vehicles)
1 Tractor Trailer

Craighead County – 
1 30kw generator
400 Cots and Blankets
20 2 ½ ton trucks for movement of FEMA generators
12 generator operator personnel
2 full 2,500 gallon fuel tankers

Fulton County –
1 200kw generator
` 3 30kw generators
200 Cots and Blankets
Delivery of FEMA bottled water and MREs (Packaged Meals)
County Support Team (50 Personnel and 15 vehicles)
Backhoe and Frontend Loader

Greene County –
1 100kw generator
1 60kw generator
County Support Team (50 personnel and 15 vehicles)

Independence County –
Shelter for Entergy personnel

Izard County – 
County Support Team (46 personnel and 15 vehicles)
3 Full Water Trailers (4 to 500 gallons)

Jackson County –
1 100kw generator
1 Full Water Trailer (4 to 500 gallons)

Lawrence County -
1 Full Water Trailer (4 to 500 gallons) 140 Cots and Blankets

Madison County –
County Support Team (50 personnel and 15 vehicles)

Marion County –
Delivery of FEMA bottled water and MREs (Packaged Meals)

Newton County –
1 Full Water Trailer (4 to 500 Gallons)

Randolph County –
140 Cots and Blankets

Searcy County –
1 Full 5,000-Gallon Water Tanker
1 Shower System

Sharp County –
Delivery of FEMA Bottled Water and MREs (Packaged Meals)
County Support Team (37 Personnel and 11 Vehicles)

Stone County –
1 30kw generator
3 missions to Deliver FEMA Bottled Water and MREs (Packaged Meals)
1 10kw generator
Van Buren County –
1 Full Water Trailer (4 to 500 Gallons)
200 Tarps

Washington County –
800 Cots and Blankets
20 2 ½ ton trucks for movement of FEMA generators
35 Chainsaws

-30-

PHOTO RELEASE
See photo at right

full cutline -
Governor Beebe and other leaders check damage.
An Arkansas National Guard Blackhawk helicopter prepares to land in Piggott as the leg of a damage assessment flight across North Arkansas. Governor Beebe toured the area along with an entourage of other leaders.

additional photos available - contact 
dailyguard@ar.ngb.army.mil(please indicate name of release anddate)