Blunt outlines plans to assist with Hurricane Gustav response

Gov. Matt Blunt's office issued the following news release today concerning efforts to help with the response to Hurricane Gustav:

Gov. Matt Blunt today visited the St. Louis Rec. Center, a potential shelter for Hurricane Gustav evacuees and announced he is mobilizing an additional 120 Missouri National Guard Citizen-Soldiers to support Hurricane Gustav recovery efforts in Louisiana, bringing the total number of mobilized Missouri Guard members to more than 600. Hurricane Gustav is predicted to make landfall near New Orleans tomorrow as a Category 4.
"Missourians know firsthand the destructive forces of Mother Nature. As our neighbors to the South prepare for Hurricane Gustav, Missouri is doing its part to assist in those efforts to help the people of Louisiana," Gov. Blunt said. "Today I am announcing that we are sending an additional 120 Missouri National Guardsmen and women to Louisiana to support the response to Hurricane Gustav."

Fifty Citizen-Soldiers from the 1221st Transportation Company, located in Dexter, Portageville and Sikeston and 70 Citizen-Soldiers from Company A, 311th Brigade Support Battalion, located in Nevada and Lamar are heading to Louisiana tomorrow to support operations there.

"As the citizens of Louisiana face this awful storm, we proudly stand beside them," said Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, adjutant general for the Missouri National Guard. "Your Missouri National Guard members are experienced and eager to help."

These Soldiers will join the more than 500 Missouri National Guard members already enroute to Louisiana, including a task force of military police from across the state, led by the 205th Military Police Battalion, Poplar Bluff; an aviation maintenance team from Springfield; and the 7th Civil Support Team, located at Fort Leonard Wood.

The Missouri National Guard Citizen-Soldiers are being mobilized under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an interstate mutual aid agreement. They will remain on duty until released by the governor of Louisiana.

Missouri is also prepared to receive evacuees if needed at shelters in St. Joseph, Cape Girardeau, Kansas City, Jefferson City, Columbia, Hannibal and Springfield.

There are approximately 11,500 Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in the Missouri National Guard, with nearly 1,500 currently mobilized in support of the Global War on Terrorism

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