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Between Hurricane Ida and COVID-19, many National Guardsmen being deployed to give help where it is needed.

Of those deployed are two city employees: Army National Guard Specialist Matthew Leasor, a Class 1 Operator for the Nicholasville Wastewater Treatment Plant; and Michael Wayne, the Director of Safety for the City of Nicholasville, who also serves as a Major in the National Guard.

Wayne was deployed with 12 other Guardsmen to the St. Claire Regional Medical Center to help set up temporary hospital units.

“It is our mission to provide non-clinical support to hospitals throughout Kentucky during this time of increased cases of COVID-19 and to alleviate some stress from the healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly and selflessly during this pandemic,” said Major Wayne. “Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers are well-trained, highly motivated, and are more than willing to provide selfless service to the citizens of Kentucky.  I hope that our presence helps to encourage everyone  that we are all in this together and that the Kentucky Army National Guard is here for them.”

Wayne is a Jessamine County native and has been Nicholasville’s Director of Safety since 2019. Previously, he was a firefighter for the Nicholasville Fire Department.

Specialist Leasor, meanwhile, assisted with hurricane disaster efforts just outside of New Orleans.

“It’s been kind of eye-opening to see the aftermath of a hurricane,” said Leasor. “It’s not something you see in Nicholasville – the downed powerlines, fallen trees.”

“We don’t always know ahead of time when we’ll be sent somewhere,” Leasor continued. “They told us on Wednesday to get ready, and within 24 hours we were gone.”

According to Doug Blackford, Nicholasville’s Director of General Government, Michael Wayne has been deployed four times over his career with the city.  Two deployments overseas and two deployments domestically. Matt Leasor has been deployed two times over his career with the city.

“I think just on the surface you can tell that them continuing to serve our country says a lot about their character,” said Blackford. “We consider it an honor that we have employees that continue to want to serve our county, and we try to support that to the best of our abilities.”

As of writing, Wayne is still assisting with St. Claire Regional Medical Center. Leasor returned to Nicholasville just last week.