Contact a New York Army National Guard RecruiterNYARNG Recruiting on FacebookBecome an Army National Guard OfficerBecome A Warrant OfficerContact a New York Air National Guard RecruiterJoin the Air National GuardVisit nationalguard.comJoin the Military Funeral Honors TeamJoin the New York Naval MilitiaJoin the New York GuardJobsBonusesIntegrated Primary Prevention Workforce (IPPW)JobsAwards & DecorationsSuicide PreventionSexual Assault Prevention & Response (SAPR)NYS DMNA WebEOCOffice of the State SurgeonService Record RequestLegal AffairsJ2 Joint Training & ExercisesChaplain ServicesEducation ServicesHuman ResourcesInspector GeneralR3SP ProgramSmall Arms Readiness & Training SectionYellow Ribbon Reintegration ProgramRetirement ServicesNY National Guard Immigration AssistanceG-6 Customer Service Help DeskCommand PhotosBonusesHealthcareID Card (CAC) Office LocatorNew York Patriot planState Active Duty BenefitsJobsChaplain ServicesEducation ServicesESGR AssistanceNew York Patriot planState Active Duty (SAD)Suicide PreventionMilitary Funeral HonorsArmy National Guard BonusesHealthcarePress RoomAbout DMNAAwards & DecorationsWorld Trade Center Benefits ProgramNY National Guard Immigration AssistanceNY National Guard Annual ReportsNYS DMNA Strategic Direction 2029Citizen Preparedness Training Corps
FOIL/FOIAService Record RequestNew York Counterdrug ProgramMilitary Funeral HonorsMilitary Aircraft in the AdirondacksNYARNG Environmental ComplianceNew York State BudgetNew Yorkers Volunteer websiteDMNA State & Federal ContractingNot-for-Profit Corporations Benefiting the Armed Forces of the United StatesNews StoriesNY National Guard WatchJFHQ - Guard Times MagazineJournals/BlogsNY National Guard Annual ReportsUpload MediaNYNG on DVIDSPhoto ArchiveSkibird Magazine ArchiveVideo Archive
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- New York Air National Guard personnel arrive at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center here on Aug. 28 to become part of Task Force Long Island, which is continuing to assist Nassau and Suffolk county civil authorities with clean up and other emergency response efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
Task Force Long Island is part of the nearly 2,000 Soldiers and airmen New York Governor Andrew Cuomo mobilized in response to the storm, which caused deaths and destruction in other states. Soldiers and Airmen also deployed to New York City and the Hudson Valley to assist civil authorities there.
Task Force Long Island’s advanced party deployed to the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center ahead of the storm on Aug. 27, and with the addition of its reserve on Aug. 28, the task force has now grown to about 450 Soldiers and Airmen, said Maj. Michael Fowler, the task force operations officer.
Task force members have been helping civil authorities in Nassau and Suffolk counties with a variety of operations, he explained, including assessing damages to roadways to determine where emergency efforts are needed, and using chainsaws to clear downed trees from roads.
The storm also created areas of standing water and damaged traffic lights, Fowler said. Task force members are using Humvees -- which have higher axles -- to move firefighters and paramedics through these inaccessible areas, and providing extra transportation to police agencies, which are using patrol cars to control intersections, he explained.
Task Force Long Island is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from National Guard units across the state, including military police units, Fowler stressed. Fowler, of Rochester, is also a Monroe County Sheriff.
"We’re providing them with resources to accomplish their missions, and putting extra sets of eyes on the roads," Fowler said. "This is a perfect mission for MPs." The task force also has Soldiers and airmen standing by to help with medical evacuations, he added.
DMNA Press Releases
Loading Press Releases...NY National Guard In the News
NationalGuard.mil -- Thu, 01 Oct 2026 New York Guard Strengthens Wildfire Response Capabilities FRANCIS S. GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. New York National Guardsmen joined state personnel Sept. 16-17 in strengthening wildfire response capabilities and helicopter... (more)
WNYT -- Thu, 01 Oct 2026 Albany Co. Exec. Dan McCoy retires from Army National Guard DELMAR, N.Y. (WNYT)- Master Sgt. Dan McCoy retired from the New York Army National Guard after 37 years of service and was honored at a ceremony in Delmar. McCoy retired during a Sept. 25... (more)
Saratoga Today -- Thu, 01 Oct 2026 Department of NY VFW Donates $5,000 to Support Friends of the NYS Military Museums Global War on Terrorism Campaign The Friends of the New York State Military Museum announced recently that the Department of New York VFW has donated $5,000 to the Friends ongoing Global War on Terrorism campaign to recognize... (more)
NYNG on GKO
