Guard assists Pulaski County residents during operation Show Me Rising Tide

Missouri National Guard Spc. Ronan Ansley, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, checks the Gasconade River bridge on Route T on Wednesday morning in Western Pulaski County.
(Photo by Matthew J. Willson/Missouri National Guard)

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

WAYNESVILLE, Mo. - Missouri National Guardsmen from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade were called in Tuesday evening to assist Pulaski County law enforcement and emergency response vehicles as part of operation Show Me Rising Tide.

The Pulaski County emergency management director, Lawson Smith, requested the Guard's assistance after heavy rains recently saturated the area, leaving several roads covered by water or so muddy that they were impassable to the county's vehicles that are not four-wheel drive.

"The Guard's response has been great," Lawson said.

With the use of four-wheel drive Humvees, Guardsmen from the Fort Leonard Wood unit working in four-person shifts were available to drive law enforcement or other emergency responders to emergency calls they otherwise would not be able to get to because of their vehicles' limitations.

"We are there to help them get from point A to point B during emergency calls," said 1st Sgt. Alex Nelson, company first sergeant and the Guard's liaison officer at the Pulaski County Emergency Operations Center.

Wednesday morning, while waiting to assist if necessary, Guardsmen drove throughout the county looking for any flooded or otherwise impassable points on county roads and provided that information to emergency management.

"The guys did get out and get a good look at some of the troubled areas, just in case," Nelson said. "That way, the staff of the emergency management center had knowledge of the area. A lot of the roads are passable, others are becoming impassable and they've had to shut some of those down."

Spcs. Ronan Ansley and Bryant Bailey spent their morning on western Pulaski County roads. They found more than a foot of water over a short section of Route T and about 100 yards of Rochester Road, near the Cave Restaurant, covered with up to 4 feet of water.

"We looked at as much of the roads we could with the time we had," said Bailey, who lives in Springfield. "Later, we'll probably go back out and look at them again. We're pretty much trying to help out all of Pulaski County by driving around all these back roads."

Bailey said it was surprising to see how devastating the flooding could be.

"It's been raining for over a week here, and I never really thought about it until I got here and saw how fast the rivers were overflowing and flowing across the roads," he said.

Assisting Missouri residents in times of crisis is part of the reason Bailey joined the Guard.

"That's one of the things I signed on for - not just to protect the country, but to protect the residents of Missouri," Bailey said. "I like to be there to help."

The Guardsmen also checked out the bridge on Route T that crosses the Gasconade River.

"That water was up to the I-beam, so it was almost to the road itself on the bridge," said Ansley, who lives in Rolla. "With bridges we wanted to make sure that water was not on the bridge itself, nor was it damaging the pylons on the bridges.
"Like most people are taught, water can be the most destructive substance if it's left unchecked. With enough pressure, water can mess up concrete."

Although it is serious work, Ansley said it was fun to be a Guardsman and help out the communities he drills in.

"I'm having a great time helping," Ansley said. "I enjoy taking care of people and I also enjoy being patriotic. I've known since I was a kid that I want to give back something to my community, and this is the way I can do it."

Along with gathering information on roads and bridges, Guardsmen also reported any stranded vehicles or flooding that was encroaching on homes.

"The guys are doing great," Nelson said of his fellow Guardsmen. "The folks at the sheriff's department came down this morning and told us they are extremely happy with the services these fine young National Guard Soldiers are providing."

It is the second times this year Guardsmen have responded to assist the residents of Pulaski County. Lawson said having a good relationship with the Guard is critical.

"The preexisting relationship that you have with people before a disaster means that you have a successful recovery in the aftermath of it," Lawson said.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites:
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Missouri National Guard Spc. Bryant Bailey, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, surveys about 100 yards on Rochester Road that is covered by water Wednesday morning in Western Pulaski County. (Photo by Matthew J. Willson/Missouri National Guard)