Firefighters, National Guard assist in flood recovery

Posted 8/1/16

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Firefighters, National Guard assist in flood recovery

Posted Monday, August 1, 2016 1:00 am

By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWhile Warren County was spared from major flood damage, local firefighters and National Guard members stepped up to help those who were not as fortunate.In the aftermath of historic flooding throughout the St. Louis region, dozens of county residents were deployed to assist in flood fighting efforts.A tanker strike force team comprised of equipment and firefighters from Warrenton, Wright City, New Melle, Lincoln County and Sullivan spent multiple days in Fenton and Crestwood in St. Louis County, while a crew and tanker from Marthasville went to High Ridge in Jefferson County.Meanwhile, members of the 3175th Military Police Company based in Warrenton volunteered their time over the New Year’s holiday as several National Guard units in the state were activated.Some of the hardest hit areas were in St. Charles, Franklin and St. Louis counties as flood levels came close or topped levels recorded in 1993. The flood was caused by more than 10 inches of rain falling over a three-day period last weekend and was blamed for 15 deaths in Missouri and nine in Illinois.“A lot of homes were under water, there was a lot of devastation, lot of debris,” said Wright City Fire Chief Ron MacKnight, who served as leader of the strike team. “A lot of people lost businesses and their homes. It was a lot of water where you normally don’t see it.“It was far beyond anything I had ever seen down there. It was widespread destruction.”The local firefighters responded to a few emergency calls while deployed. Three of the tankers provided mutual aid for the Fenton Fire Department, while a fourth tanker provided backup in Crestwood. A fifth tanker never left the emergency staging area, MacKnight said.“We were the insurance policy,” he said. “We sat there and waited for something bad to happen and fortunately it did not.”More than 500 National Guard members were deployed throughout the state and helped in several areas, such as levee reinforcement, traffic control, and water distribution and purification support.“Ringing in the new year is an important tradition for many Missourians, including our guardsmen,” said Maj. Gen. Steve Danner in a press release. “I had no doubt we would have plenty of volunteers to help over the holidays because service to the community is important to every guardsmen. They are always ready to give their time and best efforts to serve their communities, which is the essence of the hometown guard.”

Emissourian photo.

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Firefighters, National Guard assist in flood recovery

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Firefighters, National Guard assist in flood recovery