Guard’s Civil Support Team Heads to Texas Ahead of Hurricane Ike

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman said today that members of a Nebraska National Guard team have been deployed to support Texas officials prepare for Hurricane Ike.

Twenty members of the Nebraska National Guard’s 72nd Civil Support Team (CST) deployed early this morning where they will assist members of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in identifying potential chemical contamination that may result from the storm. They will also offer recommendations on handling any contamination.

The Lincoln-based 72nd CST is a joint Nebraska Army and Air National Guard team trained to support civil authorities in identifying hazardous materials and determining response measures.

Team members deployed to Louisiana in 2005 for similar purpose following Hurricane Katrina. Their mission is expected to last one to two weeks.