By Woody Gottburg (Radio Iowa)

Members of the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Refueling Wing in Sioux City have been helping residents in western Iowa remove flood debris.

Major Daniel Ress says they have the equipment needed to do the job. “We can’t rebuild the city for them, we can’t bring anything back to the way it was before, but we can offer just a little bit of helping hand that makes a difference,” he says.

Staff Sergeant Seth Stamm helps residents load debris into dump trucks to be carried away. “Means a lot to be able to help these people who are going through some really unfortunate times, some very tough times in their lives,” Stamm says. “So anything we can do to help make a difference for them.”

High school teacher Eric Boge of Sioux Rapids got help from the airmen. “It’s very emotional because I think it’s awesome,” he says. “We could not as a community, not saying that we don’t have the support here, but outside support with the National Gard it has been just phenomenal.”

Airmen have also been working in Woodbury, Cherokee, Ida and Buena Vista Counties. Airmen from the 132 Wing in Des Moines have also been helping out with the recovery. Those taking part primarily come from the units’ civil engineering squadrons.