The New York Guard (State Defense Force) has recently been assigned a new mission to assist and augment the National Guard during their yearly Lake Ontario mission. This mission was assigned to the National Guard due to the lake repeatedly flooding the last few years affecting communities throughout upstate New York. The New York Guard was part of last years Joint Task Force mission, and performed incredibly well assisting National Guard forces, and has recently been assigned back to assist in this years mission.
Here is the article covering the mission.
NY National Guard preparing for Lake Ontario flooding
Courtesy Photo | New York Army National Guard Staff Sergant Kevin Ward Ontario works a water pump on… read more
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With water levels in Lake Ontario four feet higher than average, the New York National Guard put 46 personnel on state active duty to help control flooding.
This is in addition to 3,600 personnel on duty as part of New York’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New York Army National Guard Soldiers, along with a few members of the New York Guard and New York Naval Militia—both state only forces—installed several 250-foot lengths of water barriers and emplaced 9,324 sandbags to protect the Monroe County Sheriff boat launch since missions began on April 27.
Joint Task Force Ontario, based out of the Thompson Road Armory in Syracuse, is working with local agencies identified on missions identified by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
“It feels good to be on my first state active duty mission, where I am helping out,” said Pfc. Ameer Jumadeen, a member of the 1156th Engineer Company and a Queens, New York, resident. “This is why I enlisted.”
This is the fourth year that the New York National Guard has been tasked to control flooding on Lake Ontario.
In 2019, a total of 627 New York Military Forces members took part in flood control missions from May to September. At one point, 400 personnel were on duty.
Heavy rains throughout the Great Lakes region, combined with flooding rivers in Ontario and Quebec, resulted in higher than normal water levels in Lake Ontario, according to the International
Joint Commission. The commission regulates water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.The members of members of Joint Task Force Ontario filled 293,060 sandbags and emplaced 385,460 sandbags.
The task force personnel also emplaced 9,508 feet of water-filled barriers in place of sandbags. New York Military Forces personnel moved eight pumps and installed 36 pumps moved by other entities, during 2019.
While water levels are higher than average on Lake Ontario, they are still six inches lower than they were in May, 2019, according to Command Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Peno, the New York National Guard’s meteorologist.
Water levels currently continue to fall, and are expected to drop an additional inch over the next 30 days, Peno said.
However, he cautioned, heavy storms could result in higher water levels.
Meanwhile, the members of Joint Task Force Lake Ontario are inventorying supplies and getting ready for missions.
“I have been in the Army National Guard for four years and it’s really great to directly help my community. I feel proud of the work that I’m doing here,” said Spc. Tom Biviano, an East Rochester resident assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company, 204th Engineer Battalion.
