Monday, May 07, 2007

An army of squat . . . .


When Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the a lot of the National Guard -- and its equipment -- was in Iraq.

When wildfires charred western Nebraska last year, the Black Hawk helicopter the state's National Guard brought into the fight was a loaner from Arizona. All Nebraska's Black Hawks were in Iraq.

When a monster EF-5 tornado wiped the town of Greensburg, Kan., off the map Friday night . . . .

From The Associated Press:

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday evening that the state's response will likely be hampered because much of the equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies - including tents, trucks and semitrailers - is now in Iraq.

"Not having the National Guard equipment, which used to be positioned in various parts of the state, to bring in immediately is really going to handicap this effort to rebuild," said Sebelius.

Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for the adjutant general's office, which manages state resources during emergencies, acknowledged the strain.

"We are never at 100 percent because we are allocated a certain amount from the National Guard Bureau. With the war, we are much shorter than we would be. We have about 40 percent of what is allocated," Watson said.

She said the state has a shortage of heavy equipment transport trailers, pallet-sized loading systems, Humvees, dump trucks and other large equipment that would be help move massive amount of debris.

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