photo provided by Nevada National Guard Nevada National Guard imagery equipment and ground transportation is loaded into a Nevada Air National Guard C-130 on Sept.1 in Reno, Nev., for transport to Louisiana. The equipment and 15 Nevada National Guard soldiers and airmen began their trip today to Louisiana to assist officials if needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.
Two C130 cargo planes lifted off from Reno-Tahoe Airport on Monday afternoon, destination Hurricane Gustav.
Nevada National Guard spokesman Sgt. Erick Studenicka said the planes are loaded with four trucks, high-tech electronic equipment and 15 soldiers and specialists assigned to help assess the damage as the hurricane heads inland from the Gulf Coast. He said they will provide support for decisionmakers, providing real-time imagery from both manned and unmanned aircraft along the coast and the path of the hurricane.
They will be using the state-of-the-art Raven unmanned surveillance craft for part of the task.
"They're providing the link between aerial aircraft and the analysts," Studenicka said.
He said the planes were headed for Dallas Monday night then planned to travel by truck to the scene of the damage.