Missouri National Guard assists citizens of Laclede County

Sgt. Dallas Brashears, of Detachment 1, 1138th Military Police Company in Springfield, assists a St. John's ambulance team during an emergency call to Conway. Brashears, who live sin Fayetteville, Ark., and 11 other Missouri National Guardsmen, are staged in Lebanon helping emergency first responders.

By Matthew J. Wilson
Ngmo.pao@US.ARMY.MIL

LEBANON, Mo. - The Missouri National Guard spent Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning assisting the citizens of Laclede County during the inclement weather.

Staged at the Laclede County Office of Emergency Management in Lebanon, a 12-Soldier group from Detachment 1, 1138th Military Police Company of Springfield, utilized four four-wheel drive Humvees to help clear paths in the snow for city and county emergency vehicles.

"It's been operating smoothly," said Staff Sgt. Steven Mauk, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the group. "We've had nothing but great support from the office of emergency management. They've helped us with communication so that we can more effectively dispatch and reroute our assets with radio systems, as opposed to using our cell phones. Their hospitality has been great - they've been feeding us and taking care of us really well."

Once they helped the emergency vehicles get on scene, the Guardsmen also assisted first responders with getting patients to ambulances. During the overnight hours, Mauk said Guardsmen responded to a significant medical event in northern Laclede County.

"An ambulance got on scene and couldn't get to the residence, so they loaded the paramedic up in the Humvee, went to the house, transported the patient and paramedic back to the ambulance and then went back and got the patient's spouse to take her to the hospital so she could be with her husband," said Mauk, who lives in Fayetteville, Ark.

Sgt. Adrian Hopper assisted on the call.

"It was pretty cool to be helping people like that," said Hopper, who lives in Joplin. "Anytime you can actually get out and assist in a possible life threatening event, it makes you feel pretty good. Getting to work locally with emergency management services and the police and fire department just makes it all that much better. That's why we choose the Guard over other services."

As of 9 a.m., Wednesday, the Citizen-Soldiers completed a total of 11 missions, including picking up five city and county critical personnel and bringing them in to work and four medical assists.

"We've been really busy getting key personnel - dispatchers and police offers - to their facilities, who just can't get out of their home or neighborhood because of the roadways," Mauk said.

The Guardsmen also brought food and water to a family in Conway and assisted a stranded motorist on North 5 Highway, near the BB intersection.

Mauk, who is a Fayetteville Police Officer, said he is proud to be among the Guardsmen responding in a time of emergency.

"I deal with emergencies all of the time, it's part of what I do," Mauk said. "It's nice, as a member of the National Guard, just to help your fellow citizen. You really feel like you are doing your mission as a National Guardsmen - protecting your community and serving your fellow citizens. I really enjoy being of assistance."

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.