Tennessee Guardsmen Assist in Debris Removal

NASHVILLE - Working as debris-removal teams, Tennessee National Guard soldiers from Paris and Union City have been assisting Cheatham County in cleaning up massive amounts of damaged property and trash left in the wake of the severe flooding the county experienced.

 

Armed with dump trucks and front-end loaders, soldiers from the 913th and 212th Engineer Companies have been hard at work clearing away the debris left in the wake of what some officials are now calling the thousand-year flood.  

 

"We are here to do whatevers needed to help get the community back in shape," said 2nd Lt. James Clark, a platoon leader from Union City. "They suffered a lot of damage."

 

Since May 11, the Guardsmen have been clearing debris and trash left alongside roadways by citizens eager to rebuild. Items range from sheetrock and carpets to furniture and toys … and everything in between.   

 

"It's heartbreaking to see what was destroyed," said Spc. Jason Kennon, from Paris, who drives a front-end loader.

 

Since May 2, 600 Tennessee National Guardsmen throughout the state have been assisting in rescue and recovery operations and debris cleanup..