EDMONTON- Edmonton-based soldiers who were deployed to southern Alberta to help in the flooding emergency returned home Thursday afternoon.
About 2,200 soldiers from across southern Alberta were called in to help in the flood zones, from Medicine Hat to Canmore.
“It was a wide range of tasks. And the reason is, is that it all depended on whether we were in front of the crest or behind the crest of the flood waters,” explained Colonel Dave Anderson, Commander, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
Soldiers worked almost around the clock to help communities either clean up from the devastating floods, or brace for what was to come.
In Canmore, Anderson says the main duty soldiers performed was getting stranded residents out of their flooded homes. In Medicine Hat, troops arrived before the water did, so soldiers worked to build sandbags to protect area homes and businesses.
Anderson says it means a lot to have been able to help out at home, and uses a sports analogy to describe it.
“Our fans never get to see us in an away game, an away game like Afghanistan. This was a home game and we won this one 21- nothing, and we did it in front of our fans. The troops just love doing this stuff. All we want to do is help. That’s what makes us soldiers.”
With files from Laurel Clark, Global News.
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