By ROBIN SHANNON
Staff Reporter

RESERVE – Should another natural disaster or emergency situation bear down on Southeast Louisiana, St. John Parish could very well be the hub of first responder activity with the official opening of a $15.9 million National Guard Readiness Center.

The facility, located in Reserve just past the Southeast Louisiana War Veterans Home, is the new home for the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 1084th Transportation Company, a combat sustainment support battalion whose primary mission is the transportation of containerized, palletized and break-bulk goods and cargo.

“We are the ones that get vital supplies where they need to go,” said Company Commander Lt. Hedgemann Carter. “Our company is designed for first response to an emergency situation.”

State and local leaders, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, were on hand Wednesday afternoon to officially dedicate the center for National Guard use. In a brief speech to a room full of guard members, government leaders and average citizens, Jindal emphasized the important role readiness centers play in the response to an emergency situation. He said the center in Reserve is one of seven across the state that will serve Louisiana in times of trouble.

“This is a perfect location in that it is close to the areas likely to be hit by a storm, but it is also likely to be out of harm’s way,” said Jindal. “People and equipment can be pre-deployed and be ready to go as soon as it is safe for them to get into impacted areas.”

Jindal said the Reserve location offers higher ground than many locations in New Orleans, eliminating some of the flooding concerns. It is also in close proximity to two interstate interchanges and two major cities, making it easier to get supplies where they need to go.

In 2005, when the 1084th responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Carter said the company set up shop in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans and at Camp Villere in Slidell. His troops were operating in areas that were slammed by the storms, which made it difficult to do what needed to be done.

Not only is the 32,500-square-foot building in a pivotal position for staging troops and supplies, Carter said it is also structurally sound and extremely secure.

“Should the need arise, we can run on backup power,” Carter said. “The entire facility is also designed to sustain Category 5 force winds.”

The readiness center will serve as the new address for the 113 guardsmen who make up the 1084th Company. The troop lost their home at Camp Villere to Hurricane Katrina. Carter said only about 10 people will staff the building regularly, but on annual training days and drill weekends all of the members, who come from all across Louisiana, will descend on the readiness center for training.

“We will always have a presence in the community,” said Carter. “We have plans for fundraisers and meetings with high school kids so that they can get an idea of what we are all about. This location gives us a chance to grow in number.”

During his stint as St. John Parish President, State Representative Nickie Monica lobbied for a readiness center in the parish. He said that the area was scheduled to be home to a facility in 2010, but the onset of Katrina opened up money for the guard to rebuild.

“We are here three years ahead of schedule,” Monica said. “It’s a beautiful day for St. John Parish. These men and women are the lifeblood of a strong community, and we can’t take their efforts for granted.”

Monica said the readiness center is built on 15-acres of parish-donated land between Regala Park and the St. John Airport. The facility is set up to support 176 guardsmen during any event that requires the mobilization of forces. There is also a cache of radios, gas masks, weapons, generators, water and Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs).