Fort Polk families recover from Hurricane Rita

Soldiers from C Company, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, clear debris from the North Fort housing area Sept. 25. Downed trees, broken fences and damaged roofs were some of the challenges the community faced after Hurricane Rita hit around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 23.

-- Published in Fort Polk Guardian (10.4.05) --

As Fort Polk families slowly emerged from their hurricane-battered homes Sept. 25, Soldiers from the installation’s units were already hard at work removing debris from housing areas.
Downed power lines, fallen trees, broken fences and roof damage were some of the challenges Fort Polk residents faced after Hurricane Rita hit around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 23.
Many were without electricity and phone service while Fort Polk leaders worked throughout the storm to get things back on line.
“(Fort Polk) Soldiers and units have done a tremendous job with cleaning up,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Barbero, commanding general of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, at a Hurricane Rita services information briefing held Wednesday at the Fort Polk Warrior Community Center.
He added that although leaders are still assessing the damage, cleanup was expected to be complete by Friday.
Pfc. Evan Guldenschuh, A Battery, 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, said it was important for Soldiers to help clean the community.
“This is our home,” he said.
Spc. Nicholas Threlkeld, A Btry, 5th Bn, 25th FA Reg, agreed.
“(We) have been pulling trees, getting rid of debris and trying to get the grounds back to where they were (before the hurricane).”
Both agreed that teamwork has been important as they work to clean post, whether that means working together to get things cleaned efficiently or making sure that everyone is safe at all times.
“Things will get done a lot faster if we work together rather than sitting around watching others do the work,” said Guldenschuh.
For both Guldenschuh and Threlkeld, Hurricane Rita was the first hurricane they had experienced.
Guldenschuh said his family stocked up on water, canned food and propane before the storm, but after a certain point there was nothing to be done, just hope to stay out of harm’s way.
Threlkeld said that they were fortunate that they had phone service and were able to talk to their families daily to reassure them of their safety.
First Lt. Kevin Hayes, A Btry, 5th Bn, 25th FA Reg, said that for many of the Soldiers the opportunity to do something was a relief.
“We worked around the housing areas where our some of own Soldiers lived so they were very motivated to help out,” he said. “The hurricane affected training, so they are happy just to be able to do some work.”
“We are just helping out our community,” said 1 Lt. Kevin Dagon, A Btry, 5th Bn, 25th FA Reg.
According to Barbero, the command’s priority was to get power restored, damaged roofs repaired and housing and barracks cleared of debris.
The final cleanup phase is to clear the training areas and ranges so that Soldiers can return to training as soon as possible.
As of Wednesday, power was restored to 90 percent of the housing areas and 80 percent of the installation. Force Provider was established to assist families living in Timber Ridge, the 801-leased housing area whose electricity is supplied by an outside company. Power for these families was restored Thursday.
Fort Polk and the surrounding towns were also faced with a gasoline shortage and Barbero said that post leaders are working with Army and Air Force Exchange Services to get fuel to the installation as soon as possible.
By Wednesday some fuel was being brought in, but Barbero asked that the community be patient as they work to get things back to pre-hurricane conditions.

Staff Sgt. Michael Peasgood, A Company, Brigade Support Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, cuts down a tree damaged by Hurricane Rita at Airborne Chapel. Soldiers from Fort Polk units could be seen clearing debris throughout the installation following the storm.