It was nearly 7 p.m., and 13 Florida Army National Guard soldiers were helping put a community back together as daylight was giving way to a cool evening in southeastern Florida Oct. 25.
The soldiers were part of Task Force 53, the National Guard's main relief effort of more than 1,000 personnel for Hurricane Wilma in the area. They provided security for an ice and water distribution site at the Oakwood Shopping Plaza near Interstate 95.
Much of the region from Miami to West Palm Beach-about 6 million people-lost electricity when the Category 3 storm sawed across Florida Oct. 24.
Lack of power brought out people looking for provisions, and they arrived at distribution sites in cars and trucks and on foot with shopping carts.
In all, more than 3,700 Florida Guardsmen were called to support relief operations in southern Florida. They primarily operated the points of distribution, security and logistics staging areas.
Another 3,000 Florida National Guard troops were on high alert and could have been mobilized quickly if situations warranted as the state began to clean up after its eighth hurricane in 14 months.
Florida Guardsmen were quickly placed at 81 distribution points throughout 12 counties and began distributing water, ice and food as soon as the provision arrived.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery supplied most of the personnel the Oakwood Plaza. They provided security and traffic control for the relief workers and also helped pass out bags of ice and crates of water to the seemingly endless stream of people pouring in to the site.
"Most of the people have been cooperative, but you have some that are frustrated," said 1st Lt. Jermaine Boone as the sun began to set in a deep red haze. "But we're professional. We give them their ice and water and let them move on out. There have been no problems here."
Lieutenant Boone paused to turn on a generator to power floodlights for the darkening plaza and allow the distribution to continue. He said the site was one of five distribution points in the area where soldiers from his battalion were providing security.
Although a 7 p.m. curfew was set in Hollywood, the site was staying open three hours later to accommodate late arrivals, said Hollywood Police Officer Josh Czerenda. He had been at the site since early morning and was sunburned from the long day of helping manage the site and its traffic.
"We've had two trucks with ice and water here, and a couple of thousand people have gotten aid from those trucks," Mr. Czerenda said. "We've given a lot out today."
Lieutenant Boone and his soldiers provided round-the-clock security at the distribution point and were ready to resume support for the hurricane relief efforts when the site reopened at 7 a.m. the next day.
Elsewhere around the state, the Florida Natonal Guard received a little help from its Guard neighbors to the north, including the Carolinas and New York, which provided air and communications support to the beleaguered state.
Aircrews airlifted hospital patients in the Florida Keys, and communications teams supplied satellite, video and radio communication capabilities to assist emergency workers in their operations, Guard officials said.
The communications packages provide "crossband" capability, enabling emergency workers with incompatible communications equipment to talk to one another.
Under the national Emergency Management Assistance Compact, troops from the North Carolina, South Carolina and New York National Guards deployed to Florida to help in hurricane-relief operations.
The compact establishes a partnership among states to provide aid and assistance during emergencies. When states request assistance through EMAC, the compact makes it easier for member states to send personnel and equipment to help in disaster-relief operations.
© 2005 National Guard Association of the United States Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Source: National Guard
