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According to the officer in charge, 1Lt. Luke McCartney, Rector was labeled a priority when the 875th first was contacted.
"One of our first goals was to get the streets cleared. Every street in town is passable right now. We weren't real sure what we were coming into. The Rector Street Department had been hard at work before we arrived, and we were able to assist them in their efforts."
With access to residences available, the soldiers conducted presence patrols, making sure each citizen was identified or their whereabouts known."
The 875th established a headquarters in Rector while going out and working in the rest of the county. As Monday began, two platoons of 25 soldiers each were working in Piggott and Corning.
"Our number one priority is to make sure everyone in Clay County is safe," McCartney said. "Our second priority is debris clearance and third is traffic control."
As the outlook in towns improved, the soldiers made their way into the rural areas, checking homes and roads. Each unit that went out carried emergency supplies to distribute to any residents in need.
The patrols yielded immediate results. A family on County Road 401 was trapped in their home due to debris blocking the road. The soldiers were able to clear the road and get to the unnamed family and make sure they were okay.
"If anybody knows of anyone trapped, they can contact city hall and they'll get to us from there," McCartney said. "Then we can go out and locate them and make sure they have food and water."
The initial response saw 68 soldiers arrive in Clay County. An additional 15 will be joining the county efforts from assignment in Marmaduke.
The number of troops present is expected to fluctuate as need in the area lessens.
Comments
Thanks guys, You are doing a good job and you are very much appreciated. Keep up the good work.