CHARLESTON, W. Va. (WVDN) – Following devastating flooding across numerous counties in the southern part of West Virginia, Soldiers and Airmen with the West Virginia National Guard were activated by Gov. Patrick Morrisey alongside his state of emergency proclamation made on Feb. 15, 2025.
When Morrisey called on the WVNG in response to the major flooding throughout the southern part of the state, West Virginia Adjutant General Brig. Gen. James “Jim” Seward, immediately ordered the Guard to respond.
“Our troops and area first responders were in McDowell County with swift water rescue boats by 2 a.m. the night of the flood,” said Seward. “I’m proud of the high level of capability and readiness maintained by the WVNG that allowed us to immediately respond.”
The WVNG played a critical role in recovery efforts following the devastating floods. In response to Morrisey’s declared State of Emergency for Boone, Cabell, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne and Wyoming counties, WVNG assets worked seamlessly alongside state and local agencies, providing vital support to affected West Virginia residents.
“We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of our partners at the state and local levels, as well as the hard work of all the activated Soldiers and Airmen that supported these operations,” Seward said, “and I want to thank our first responders and leaders in each county.”
Following activation, service members and equipment from fifteen Army and Air National Guard units were rapidly deployed to support a multitude of operations and support missions. These missions included high water search and rescue, debris management and removal, operational assessments, route clearance, and essential supply distribution.
Over the course of recovery operations, close to 350 WVNG service members were employed, compiling more than 45,000 work hours. The WVNG responded to requests from eight different counties, deploying specialized teams including aviation assets for three critical missions and fielded 34 WebEOC requests routed through the WVNG Joint Operations Center.
Loader/Dump Teams removed more than 17,000 tons of debris from affected areas, clearing pathways for continued recovery.
Essential supply distribution missions provided nearly 65,000 items of life-sustaining supplies to impacted citizens throughout the flooded counties, including: around 340,000 bottles of clean drinking water, nearly 200 cases of MREs, and 1,200 48-pound bags of pet food. Pallets of hand sanitizer were delivered and distributed, along with 1,444 bales of hay, cleaning supply kits and personal protective equipment.
“The WVNG remains committed to maintaining interagency relationships that increase our interoperability and readiness,” Seward said. “With these partnerships utilized throughout the flood response operations, the WVNG was able to execute successful recovery missions in aid of our citizens.”
The WVNG closely coordinated with numerous partner organizations including the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and the Emergency Management Division, county Offices of Emergency Management, the West Virginia State Police, the Department of Transportation, and local volunteer organizations. This integrated, whole-of-government approach maximized the impact of available resources and ensured a swift and effective response.
