Hagåtña, Guam – Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is directing Guam Army National Guard (GUNG) engineers currently on annual training to assist the Department of Public Works (DPW) with flood mitigation throughout the island.
In response to the Governor’s directive, The Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Esther Aguigui is sending engineers and road clearing assets to flood-prone areas to assist with clearing of debris from storm water drains, curb inlets, catch basins, and roadways.
The 1224th Engineer Support Company, comprised of 27 engineers, will be working to remove debris along Fatima Road, Harmon Loop Road, and Micronesia Mall along Route 16.
“I want to thank our team from the Guam National Guard and DPW for their quick response and collaboration to address flooding, especially in flood-prone areas. I also want to remind our residents to take extra precaution and to stay safe while heavy rains pass through our island. Please drive carefully and avoid areas that are known to experience flooding,” said Governor Leon Guerrero, who will be visiting different parts of Guam for an assessment of the condition of our island.
“The men and women of the Guard are always available to assist in times of natural or man-made disasters. In this case, engineers are conducting annual exercises and with the Governor’s direction, we are assigning the unit a real world tasking to supplement the Department of Public Works and the work they are doing to keep our roads passable and safe,” said Aguigui.
“In addition to immediate solutions, we will also have future discussions to seek long-term solutions addressing flooding in areas like Polaris Point and the Barcinas Bridge in Merizo. We will seek assistance and expertise for such a plan with the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” stated Vince Arriola, Director of DPW.