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61st
BCT, 1st Grp
Subject: Recap Disaster Relief Trip,
Slidell,
LA
5 January 2006
1. November 28 -
1 December 2005
a. Departed
Bossier City
5:00AM, 28Nov enroute to
First
Baptist
Church,
Slidell,
LA.
b. Three (3) Vehicles carrying five (5) individuals, towing one (1) tool
trailer,
and one (1) flatbed trailer with four (4) wheeled ATV.
LtCol.
Randy
Harper
SMSgt Toney
Charles
Dennis
Watts
(Vol.
Church
Member)
Ronnie
Burns
(Vol.
Church
Member
Phil
Hardin
(Vol.
Church
Member)
c. Arrived destination 11:30 AM, checked in, unpacked in sleeping
quarters(church
auditorium) and set-up cots for sleeping.
d. Reported to dispatch office and obtained work order for downed trees cut-up.
e. Arrived work site, unloaded equipment, chain saws and proceeded to cut trees
for
FEMA pickup and disposal. Cut up some 25-30 large hardwood trees into 8ft
sections as instructed.
f. Loaded up equipment, returned to quarters, showered, ate dinner, had
Devotional
and prayer, then turned in for the night.
2. Each day was the same routine but at different locations. A
couple work order request
were already completed by another group(poor organization & communication). We
followed the procedures outlined by our host center and obtained new work
orders
after completing the current
assignment.
3. In total we cut, cleared and moved downed timber at 4 different locations,
used up 4
chains, but had new spares. Have all chains in sharpening facility and will be
ready to
depart again shortly.
4.
Maj.
Bob
Mayence
joined us Tuesday.
5. Worked until
noon
on Thursday, 1 Dec05.
6. Departed Slidell approx 1:30PM, detoured through the New Orleans area via
I-10
City was still in terrible condition, but it was hard to imagine what it was
like before any
clean-up or reconstruction began. This is a LONG recovery process and much help
will
be needed for a long time to come. Most all charitable organizations have
pulled out
and the beauracratic paperwork has slowed the relief funds down to a trickle.
We at
Bellaire will be able to cover the costs of one more trip, and unless some funds
are
provided, our trip in February will be our last. I will send you the
information on this
trip as soon as the details are worked out.
7. I have one CD of photos we took on the past trip, and have a copy for you at
our next
meeting. The file is to large to send via e-mail. Attached
is an article from the
Attached is an article from
Shreveport
Times covering our trip.
TONEY L.
CHARLES
SMSgt USAFVR
61stBCT
1stGRP
1ST SGT
Photos of event
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