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Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

Iowa Guard members clean up debris after derecho storm

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

Aug. 18, 2020 | 3:40

Iowa National Guard Airmen and Soldiers are in eastern Iowa this week assisting with cleanup operations following a severe wind storm that caused wide spread damage in the Hawkeye State.

Airmen from the 185th Air Refueling Wing Civil Engineering Squadron based in Sioux City, Iowa joined Soldiers from the Army National Guard’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 734th Regional Support Group in Cedar Rapids where they are cleaning up downed trees in order to make way for utility companies to reconnect power.

The 50 member team in Cedar Rapids is part of a larger group of 200 Iowa National Guard members who are working with local municipalities and power companies clearing out debris.

After Guard members clear streets civilian agencies can reconnect power to the community where tens of thousands of customers have been without power since last week.

Wide spread power outages were due to the weather phenomena referred to as a derecho that is characterized by the large geographical area of damage caused by extremely high winds. The hurricane force winds flattened crops in rural areas, uprooted trees and caused wide spread structural damage to homes and business in Easter Iowa.

Air Guard members are equipped with recently acquired debris clean up packages that include items like chain saws and skid loaders as part of the Civil Engineer domestic response kits. The kits combined with Army heavy vehicles allow cleanup teams to quickly clear downed trees.

Lower Thirds:
Senior Master Sgt. David Twohig
185th ARW Civil Engineer