Camp Mabry trains for natural disasters

AUSTIN (KXAN) - People are still cleaning up in wake of Hurricane Sandy that hit the East Coast late October.

The National Guard quickly responded after streets flooded and power was lost, a lesson learned from Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans in 2005.

Since then, new disaster organizations have been created and put in place, including right here in Austin.

The 36th Infantry Division at Camp Mabry assumed responsibilities for all states west of the Mississippi for any natural disasters.

In wake of Hurricane Katrina, the National Guard Bureau created the Domestic All-Hazard Response Teams or DART.

"The DART-West concept came about following the Katrina, so The National Guard Bureau could develop a better system of responding to natural disasters, " said Colonel Michael Houston, officer in charge of DART-West.

Dart-West handles any disasters west of the Mississippi and Dart-East handles everything east, like most recently Hurricane Sandy that destroyed so many homes and businesses.

The 36th Infantry Division operating as Dart-West studies and plans for each state they are responsible for, that includes studying each states historic disaster past.

"I never knew how much seismic activity was in Alaska but they have an average of 15 to 20 earthquakes a day," aid Sgt. 1st Class John Rowell, DART-West team member.

Communication is key during an event, something many say lacked during Hurricane Katrina.

"We're able to communicate a lot better as far as cross-talk, who's coming where, who's going where, who's responding to what, " said Rowell.

The team works on possible scenarios from floods to wildfires: planning how to deliver everything from engineering and security, to food and medical supplies fast-- when we all need it most.

The 36th Infantry Division has control of DART-West for the next two years, after which another National Guard Division will take over on a yearly basis.