D.C. Guard Completes 500 Missions During Back-to-Back Blizzards

WASHINGTON, DC (02/12/2010)(readMedia)-- D.C. National Guard Army and Air National Guardsmen worked through wind gusts of 55 mph creating treacherous road conditions here Wednesday, delivering Metro police, firemen, paramedics, doctors, and nurses to work during one of the worst storms in the history of the nation's capital.

Despite back-to-back blizzards, the D.C. Guard has gotten their missions done and been where they needed to be, braving blinding snow and getting to parts of the District and its outlying areas where it was impossible for other vehicles to go. Conditions in the nation's capital were so bad that even plows were advised to get off the roads.

"We have completed more than 500 missions over the course of these two storms," said Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard. "We've been operating 12 Humvees stationed at all seven Metro Police Precincts throughout the city, fire stations and the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. The missions have been nonstop."

The National Capitol Region was recovering from last week's snowstorm when it was hit by another blizzard this week. Wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour threatened to down more trees and damage power lines. While the District's main arteries were passable, many of city's side streets -- which had not been plowed since the first storm dropped more than 30 inches in some locations -- were hit again. Many streets remained impassable Thursday blocking key civilian emergency responders from getting into the District.

The "Snowmageddon" on the East Coast broke Washington's 121-year snowfall record for the season Wednesday, with 55.9 inches measured at Reagan National Airport, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The previous record was 54.4 inches.

The D.C. Guard's mission included 60 transportation personnel along with additional soldiers and airmen providing indirect support in the form of logistics, communications, administrative, maintenance and operational support. Guard personnel operated around the clock in two, 12-hour shifts.

With forecasters eyeing a third storm, the D.C. Guard was prepared to continue its mission into next week.

"As long as the District requests our support, we will be there to do our job," Schwartz said. "This is what we do. I'm very proud of our men and women who volunteered to come in and help the District despite the severe conditions, the danger of driving and in lieu of even taking care of their own circumstances."

Guard families are always supportive when their spouses and loved ones are called to duty, Schwartz said. He added that they deserve just as much credit for supporting this mission.

Despite having two of its major units -- the 547th Transportation Co. and the 113th Wing -- deployed in Iraq, and the 113th Security Forces Squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia, the D.C. Guard has been able to do everything they have been asked to do by the District.