Guardsmen in Humvees Provide Assistance to Police, Ambulance Crews
Pittsburgh Tribune 2-12-10
Taking snow in their stride, Army National Guard soldiers are helping police and ambulance companies assist local residents despite ice-covered secondary roads.
Since Wednesday, two soldiers in a Humvee have been working with Emergency Medical Management Co., based along North Washington Road.
EMMA covers the township, Oklahoma, Vandergrift and six other Alle-Kiski Valley communities in a sprawling 184-square-mile area, said EMMA Director Jack Edmundson.
Edmundson said he called state Rep. Joe Petrarca, D-Vandergrift, after a touch-and-go ambulance call Saturday. The 911 call was for a Washington Township woman with chest pain.
Edmundson said it took far longer than rescue crews wanted to reach her. Things got worse when an ambulance sent to help her got stuck in the snow.
Volunteer firefighters were able to dig out and pull the ambulance free to get medics to the woman’s house and take her to Allegheny Valley Hospital.
“It took them one hour,” Edmundson said. “You should see the Humvee go on the snow.”
The vehicle is used by the military in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe.
Another Humvee team was stationed at the Kiski Valley state police station for several days. They were expected to leave late yesterday, said state police Sgt. Stephen Eberle.
The soldiers, who are military policemen, drove troopers to several domestic and theft calls along remote sections of slick and winding side roads, he said.
“We have some 4-wheel drive vehicles, but not enough,” Eberle said. “They were very helpful, and they said they would come back if we need them after the next big snow.”
In addition, six Humvees with crews of two also are based at the Westmoreland County emergency management center in Greensburg for deployment as needed.
“We’ve had 20 missions to take people to dialysis at Apollo, North Apollo and in Westmoreland County,” said Lt. Robert Prah, one of the guardsmen who recently returned from duty in Iraq.
The soldiers ordinarily drill at Mount Pleasant, Butler or Johnstown.
“We have a dual mission to support overseas when the president sends us and to support internally when the governor calls,” said Capt. Chris Reppin at the Mount Pleasant Armory.
He said the soldiers are part of Task Force Panther of the 110th Infantry Battalion that does domestic missions in Westmoreland and six other counties.
Some battalion members are scheduled to go overseas in about two weeks, Reppin said.