About 80 members of North Dakota's Army and Air National Guard prepared Friday to join the national relief effort along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.
Within a few days, Fargo's 119th Fighter Wing will deploy 55 members of its civil engineer squadron to Gulfport, Miss. There, the airmen will turn a National Guard base into a relief camp capable of holding 3,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Air Guard spokesman Dave Somdahl said.
Gov. John Hoeven said about 30 volunteer Army National Guard soldiers from across North Dakota also will participate in relief efforts along the battered Gulf Coast.
"North Dakota stands ready to use all the resources at our disposal to help the victims of the Gulf region," Hoeven said.
The Army Guard volunteers, members of the Devils Lake-based 136th Quartermaster Battalion, will leave for Camp Shelby, Miss., late Sunday or early Monday, National Guard spokesman Rob Keller said.
ADVERTISEMENT
From Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Miss., the Army Guard soldiers could be sent to any area along the Gulf Coast, Keller said.
"We are going to be available wherever the needs are the greatest," Keller said.
The Army Guard soldiers are taking with them two water purification units, each capable of producing 60,000 gallons of water a day.
They will take a tanker truck loaded with fuel for the purification systems, two Humvees and enough supplies to support themselves for about 15 days, Keller said.
Guard officials awaited word Friday on a request for a cargo airplane to transport the soldiers and their equipment from Grand Forks to Camp Shelby.
If an airplane isn't available, the soldiers will drive to Camp Shelby, Keller said.
The Air Guard will take with them a water purification system capable of producing about 7,200 gallons of water a day, he said.
Another yet-unknown Air Guard unit is expected to deploy a like-sized contingent of soldiers to help operate the relief center near Gulfport, Somdahl said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Army and Air Guard members could remain in the Gulf Coast for two month, Guard officials said.
Other Army Guard soldiers could replace the current volunteers, Keller said.
On Friday, about 15,000 National Guard troops were providing security and serving in relief efforts along the Gulf Coast. Within the next few days, state governors are expected to send 15,000 more, Keller said.
In addition to hurricane relief, North Dakota's National Guard has 436 soldiers serving in the global war against terrorism, he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526
