Virginia National Guard, Virginia Defense Force prepare for possible severe weather response operations - Aug. 8, 2024
The Virginia National Guard has staged Soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high water transportation Aug. 8, 2024, at VNG facilities in Lynchburg, Danville and Fort Barfoot in order to support the response to impacts of Tropical Storm Debby. The personnel will be ready conduct missions Thursday morning and will link up with local emergency managers to provide assistance if needed. VNG troops will also have chain saw teams to conduct debris reduction operations, and helicopter rescue hoist capabilities are also on standby.
The VNG alerted approximately 130 personnel Aug. 6, 2024. In addition to the troops ready for high water transportation and debris reduction missions, Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force will provide logistics, administrative, operations center and public information support at multiple locations.
Typical missions for the VNG during hurricane or tropical storm response operations are transporting first responders or distributing food and water to citizens in remote areas using tactical trucks capable of moving through high water as well as providing chain saw teams to help reduce debris to clear roads or power line routes.
During domestic operations, the VNG receives missions from VDEM and responds as part of a multi-agency team with other state and local agencies to provide support capabilities requests by Virginia communities. VDEM determines where capabilities are allocated, and the VNG does not respond to direct requests for assistance.
Localities looking for VNG support should make their requests to VDEM, and they determine which organization can best provide the requested assistance as they coordinate the regional and statewide response.
Members of the Virginia Defense Force provide logistics distribution, administrative, operations center augmentation and communications support to Virginia National Guard Soldiers preparing for possible severe weather response operations related to Tropical Storm Debby Aug. 7-9, 2024, in Richmond, Lynchburg and Danville, Virginia.
