Florida Army National Guard Secures Escambia Bay Bridge
By Maj. Eurydice Stanley
Special to American Forces Press Service
PENSACOLA, Fla., Sept. 20, 2004 -- The Escambia Bay Bridge on Interstate 10 is
the gateway of travel to points west of Florida, and it serves as the entrance
to the Sunshine State for eastbound travelers. Everyone will have to find an
alternate route for now.
A storm surge and massive waves initiated by Hurricane Ivan, a Category 3
hurricane with 130-mph winds, pummeled Pensacola and surrounding areas Sept. 16
and washed out the bridge. There was one fatality, when a truck driver tried to
cross the bridge during the hurricane. The driver's body was recovered Sept.
17, according to law-enforcement sources.
Guardsmen from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, were tasked
with providing security and preventing civilians from entering the compromised
bridge. Army Spc. Mario Mendoza, of St. Petersburg, serves as the security team
leader and helps guard the bridge, along with Army Pfcs. Jeffrey Freimuth, of
Sebring; Kyle Mosley, of St. Augustine; and Jesse Vavaro, of Tampa. The
soldiers have served on hurricane-relief efforts since Hurricane Charley hit
Florida more than a month ago.
One would think guards might not be necessary for a washed-out bridge, but
motorists continue to disregard the "Bridge out, exit now" signs posted by
state troopers, according to Sgt. Eric Plummer of the Florida Highway Patrol.
He said the guards are there to prevent inattentive motorists from killing
themselves.
According to Plummer, a motorist approached the bridge in excess of 70 mph
Sept. 17 and would not stop until Plummer drew his weapon and stood directly in
his path. The motorist stopped within 100 feet of the bridge and was given two
choices -- turn around or go to jail. He turned around.
Plummer said his interaction with the National Guard has been positive.
"They're all professional and seem to know what they're doing. They are more
than willing to help people," said Plummer.
Mendoza pointed to a vehicle abandoned on the bridge after a motorist attempted
to cross during the storm and could not pass the sections that had shifted.
After turning around, the motorist found the bridge entrance had shifted,
leaving impassable crumbled asphalt. The motorist deserted the car and
evacuated on foot.
The 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan
in May for a year. Mendoza is sure the experience the team gained during
security missions for hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan will assist in
preparing for their duty overseas. "I'm sure we'll have security checkpoints
in Afghanistan, only here we're dealing with Americans," he said. "In
Afghanistan, we could be dealing with suicide bombers."
Mendoza is ready to go overseas, but said he will miss his family ---wife,
Neyvis and 10-month-old daughter, Isabella.
The Escambia Bay Bridge is a main artery to Alabama and the western part of the
United States. The bridge averaged 40,000-50,000 travelers daily, and remains
unstable and impassable as segments continue to collapse. The closed bridge
will have a significant impact on the expeditious distribution of supplies and
materials during hurricane-relief efforts, officials said. Travel is being
rerouted through Highway 90 during repair.
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