The Missouri National Guard is set to deploy up to 41 engineering personnel to St. louis to assist with tornado recovery efforts, specifically focusing on debris removal and sorting. Governor Mike Kehoe announced the activation, highlighting the state’s commitment to aiding the city after the devastating storms on May 16.

Members of the 35^th Engineer Brigade are preparing to begin their missions next week, with service members scheduled to be on site starting on Wednesday, May 28. The focus will be on supporting the City of St.Louis’s recovery timeline through efficient debris management.

governor Kehoe stated, “Through this deployment, the State of Missouri is further assisting the City of St. Louis in recovery efforts following the devastating May 16 storms. we are thankful for the efforts of the men and women of the Missouri National guard in this mission. Recovery will take time, but our state agencies remain committed to partnering with local officials to assist affected residents and businesses.”

Since Tuesday, May 20, a Missouri National Guard Liaison Officer (LNO) has been working with the City of St. Louis to assess and advise on potential missions. The deployment follows a request from the missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for debris removal assistance. Efficient debris removal is considered crucial for facilitating other aspects of the recovery process after a large-scale disaster.

Debris Removal Operations

The Engineer Task Force will provide a Liaison Officer as part of the County Emergency operations Center team, along with an Emergency debris Clearance & Emergency Route Construction Package. Engineer teams on the ground will support residential debris collection sites in St. Louis City, assisting in sorting, loading, transporting, and removing debris from collection sites to the landfill.Current plans involve four sites,with exact locations being finalized between city officials and emergency managers.

“We are thankful for the efforts of the men and women of the Missouri National Guard in this mission.”
Governor Kehoe

The Missouri National Guard Engineer support will be in partnership with St. Louis Parks, Recreation and Forestry and other city entities to operate fenced residential debris collection sites in affected storm areas.Each of the four city-owned sites will have a medium clearance team to augment on-site city-managed operations. Daily operations at the four sites will run from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, seven days a week.

National Guard support is currently planned for a two-week period, commencing on May 28 and continuing through June 11, after which support operations will transition to City- or SEMA-sourced long-term support solutions.

State of Emergency and Continued Support

governor Kehoe initially declared a State of Emergency on March 14,2025,through Executive Order 25-19 in readiness for severe weather. This declaration was subsequently extended by Executive Orders 25-22 and 25-23.

SEMA continues to collaborate with local officials, volunteer organizations, and faith-based partners to identify needs and assist impacted families and individuals. Missouri residents with unmet needs are encouraged to contact United way by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting www.211helps.org, or the American Red cross at 1-800-733-2767.

Additional resources and information regarding disaster recovery in Missouri, including general clean-up information, housing assistance, and mental health services, can be found at recovery.mo.gov.