Photo By Master Sgt. Paul Meeker | Staff Sgt. Stacy A. Groves, helps guide a special vehicle belonging to the 62nd Civil...... read more read more
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NEW ORLEANS - Special unmarked vehicles with evidence of high-tech gadgetry on their roofs plied their way along New Orleans' parade routes in advance of parades this Mardi Gras season, each carrying members of one of the Louisiana National Guard's most highly trained units, the 62nd Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction).
The mission of the 62nd's survey team was simple, yet crucial to the safety of city residents and tourists lined up waiting for each day's processions – assist the New Orleans Fire Department's Regional Tactical Assessment & Control officers in their sweeps of the parade routes for evidence of unusual, potentially dangerous sources of radiation and other hazards.
One of Ainsworth's fellow team members, Staff Sgt. Stacy A. Groves of Baton Rouge, La., described the high effectiveness of their technology by relating a story from one parade mission.
Groves explained, "We got a high reading on our instruments so we dismounted our truck and went looking for the source. We honed in on an older woman sitting along the parade route.
"We quietly asked her if she'd been in the hospital recently. It turns out she'd had a chemotherapy treatment earlier that day."
The Mardi Gras missions are just one of many types of critical missions the 62nd team members carry out in the course of their every day duties. Sgt. Jason S. Borland of Pineville, La., another team member, described how the 62nd sometimes assists the U.S. Coast Guard in its interdiction missions.
"We work with the Coast Guard when high interest vessels enter the Gulf. We go in and clear for chemical, radiation and biological threats – the whole nine yards," explained Borland, who is relatively new to the unit. "The skill set I have to learn is an eye-opener. No one wants to be the weak link in our operations."
According to Louisiana National Guard publications, each 62nd team member receives over 2000 hours of technical training by agencies including the National Fire Academy, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, FBI and Louisiana State police. All members are trained to the HAZMAT Technician level or above.
The 62nd CST (WMD) is commanded by Maj. Cameron L. Magee of Baton Rouge, and is located at the Gillis Long Center in Carville, La. Team members are comprised of active duty National Guard personnel, many of whom are drawn from civilian public safety and medical backgrounds. The unit received congressional certification to respond to WMD incidents on Dec. 1, 2001.
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2009 18:34 |
| Story ID: | 30453 |
| Location: | NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 365 |
| Downloads: | 259 |
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