Soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard’s 527th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, work to reinforce oil protection barriers and land bridges along Elmer’s Island, La., near Grand Isle and Port Fourchon, La., July 9, 2010. Photo by Sgt. Michael Owens

Soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard’s 527th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, are reinforcing oil protection structures along the coasts of Grand Isle and Port Fourchon, La., July 9.

In May, soldiers with the 769th Engineer Battalion, 225th Eng. Bde., built a 2,000 foot rock wall several feet high to serve as a barrier against oil encroaching on the marshlands. The Guardsmen from the 527th Eng. Bn. are now adding an additional 500 feet to the wall to increase the protection. The height of the wall will also be raised by roughly three feet to keep the tide from washing over it.

“The 769th finished the rock wall back in May, but after weeks of being beaten by waves and tides, we need to make it stronger so it can continue to be a useful asset,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan W. Norred, noncommissioned officer in charge of the project.

On the other end of the island, soldiers are reinforcing a land bridge so they can easily drive their vehicles to their work sites. They must battle inclement weather and rough seas during their 12-hour work shift.

“We’re going to build the bridge up about three feet and add a ramp on the east side so vehicles can easily maneuver,” said Norred.

These oil protection structures are significant because they increase Louisiana’s chances to fight the oil coming in from the Gulf of Mexico into the delicate marshlands.

“The structures built by the National Guard are really helping us fight the oil by keeping it near the beaches and out of the marshes,” said Windell Curole, director of the South Lafourche Parish levee district. Curole explained that it is easier to fight the oil on the beaches, than in the marshes.

“We really appreciate what the Guard is doing out here, because their efforts are really helping our community combat the oil spill,” he concluded.

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Story by Sgt. Michael Owens

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Soldiers of the 2225th Multi Role Bridge Company, 205th Engineer Brigade, prepare to load a five-panel improved ribbon bridge raft with all-terrain vehicles in Grand Isle, La., July 2. The 2225th has been assisting civilian contractors with transporting personnel and equipment to the Grand Terre Islands off the coast of Louisiana in support of oil spill operations. Photo by Sgt. Michael Owens

Soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard’s 2225th Multi-Role Bridge Company, 205th Engineer Battalion, have been performing transport duties off the coast of Louisiana near Grand Isle, La., and the Grand Terre Islands to assist civilian workers with the oil clean-up effort along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

For the past two weeks, the 25-member team has been using portions of an improved ribbon bridge to make a five-panel raft with ramps on each end to transport civilian personnel, equipment and oil-containment materials to and from areas along Grand Isle and the Grand Terre Islands.

“We usually haul civilians and oil-containment items, but at any given time we can be asked to transport equipment and other heavy items,” said Sgt. 1st Class Maris M. Pichon, of the 2225th.

Soldiers of the 2225th Multi Role Bridge Company, 205th Engineer Brigade, load all-terrain vehicles onto a five-panel improved ribbon bridge raft in Grand Isle, La., July 2. Photo by Sgt. Michael Owens

The civilian contractors use the raft as a means of transportation for themselves and as a way to transport equipment and oil-contaminated boom to the decontamination site in Grand Isle.

The panel raft’s ability to push onshore and lay down its ramps without the need for a dock makes it the preferred method of transportation for the contractors loading and unloading equipment. The nearly 100-foot long platform can haul upwards of 80 tons of cargo and is pulled with two bridge erection boats.

“Unlike the shrimping boats that we were using, the raft can actually dock onshore and the ramps make it easier to load and offload personnel and equipment,” said Pablo Hernandez, a contractor working in Grand Isle. “We are appreciative of the Guardsmen helping us out.”

The Soldiers can use the improved ribbon bridge in several different ways, depending on what the mission requires.

“This is what we train to do,” said 1st Sgt. Kevin M. Giroir, the 2225th’s senior enlisted advisor. “A part of our unit’s mission is to get equipment and personnel across bodies of water and we are always prepared to make it happen.”

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Story by Sgt. Michael Owens

A Louisiana National Guard soldier from the 225th Engineer Brigade fills a Hesco basket with sand on Holly Beach in Cameron Parish, July 3. Approximately 100 soldiers from the 225th Engineer Brigade are working to emplace barriers along a low-laying stretch of coast to close gaps and protect the land from possible oil intrusion. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Sara Piazza

Despite adverse weather brought in by Hurricane Alex earlier this week, Louisiana National Guard soldiers from the 225th Engineer Brigade continue to emplace and repair Hesco barriers along the coast in Cameron Parish, La.

The crew finished a two-and-a-half mile stretch of protective wall along the lowest portions of Highway 82 between the Cameron ferry and Holly Beach just 24 hours before Hurricane Alex hit the Gulf Coast.

Hesco baskets filled and emplaced by approximately 100 soldiers from the 225th Engineer Brigade line the coast of Holly Beach in Cameron Parish, July 3. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Sara Piazza

“Every time the tide rises more than two feet above normal, it pushes water out over this highway. If these barriers wouldn’t have been in place, we would have had to close the street, wait for the floodwater to go down and then clean up all the debris,” said Clifton Hebert, director of the Cameron Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. “Thanks to the National Guard, the water never touched the road.”

Although the barriers were not emplaced to ward off high tides brought in by hurricanes, Hebert said he was reassured after seeing their reaction to Alex that they will hold up well under normal conditions.

Hesco baskets filled and emplaced by approximately 100 soldiers from the 225th Engineer Brigade line the coast of Holly Beach in Cameron Parish, July 3. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Sara Piazza

Capt. Ingram M. Scott, logistics officer for the 769th Engineer Battalion, 225th Eng. Bde., is overseeing the Cameron Parish project and said despite the hurricane, their efforts have not slowed on the coast. He said they will take the lessons learned and use them to prepare for similar weather in the future.

“We’ve learned when the Hesco baskets are closer to the water, they don’t withstand the tide as well,” Scott said. “We are now building a second wall to act as a reinforcement barrier behind the sections most damaged by the hurricane, and we plan to build the walls farther from the coastline in the future.”

Scott says his Soldiers are motivated and morale remains high. His crew plans to continue working 12-hour days until their project is complete.

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Story by Sgt. 1st Class Sara Piazza

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