Levee Gives Out, Guardsmen Respond with Local Agencies                                             Story by Sgt. Maj. Jodie Newby, Indiana National Guard                                              Photos by Staff Sgt. Justin Goeden, Indiana National Guard photojournalist              Posted:  June 12, 2008

VINCENNES, Ind. – Soldiers and Airmen from the Indiana National Guard stood ready to support the Emergency Management Agency in Washington, Plainville and Jasonville, Ind., June 11 to assist in evacuation efforts.

Relief operations for the historical flooding of southern Indiana moved north as the White River broke through the levees above the river crest.

“Our goal, of course,” said Brig. Gen. David Harris of Joint Task Force 81, “is to be here for the local authorities when they need us with whatever we have to offer. We hope to prevent local flooding of infrastructure and protect the local communities.”

Another survey of the effected areas and potential problem areas is being conducted today by state and national authorities along with the Indiana National Guard leadership.

“We continue to move along with the civil authorities,” Harris said, “to help them understand what our capabilities are and assist in framing the requirements for requests to support. We are working jointly to provide the most timely and effective support possible to the people of southern Indiana.”

Petersburg, Ind., is the current focus as approximately 4,000 sandbags are shipped from a sandbag fill site at the Indiana Department of Transportation and hauled on National Guard vehicles to the power plant in that town.

Sandbags were being hauled throughout the afternoon and evening of June 11 to locations in the city of East Mount Carmel which sits at the junction of the White and Wabash Rivers in Gibson County.

Loaded transport vehicles are standing by and ready to distribute additional sandbags to areas on the Wabash River from East Mount Carmel to New Harmony.

On order of the Emergency Management Agency and local authorities, Soldiers and Airmen will be on the move to haul and place the bags where needed.

In addition to sandbag operations along the river, the Army and Air National Guard continue to provide security at the Columbus Regional Hospital evacuated earlier in the week, provide bulk water distribution to effected cities such as Hope and Washington, Ind., and maintain relief and support efforts in Terre Haute, Ind.