When the water receded and wind settled after Superstorm Sandy, the New Jersey National Guard was out rescuing citizens. Whether they found that young child under the rubble or safely guided an elderly man out of his home, these were examples of the work being performed by the task force at the Homeland Security Center of Excellence Headquarters in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
“Emergencies are our number one priority,” said 1st Class Sgt. Richard E. St. Pierre, who works at the center that is part of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “It’s our responsibility to find roads that are safe for our teams to go out on to rescue people. Without an emergency operations center like ours, quick and efficient response to any emergency would be hindered if not incapacitated completely.”