Governor Steve Beshear is calling it the biggest natural disaster to hit Kentucky.

Now thousands of National Guardsmen are on the ground to clean up debris, check on residents and help however they can in Eastern Kentucky.

They are cutting through the mess that a major winter storm left behind. Trees crippled by ice covered Wolfe County roads for several days.

"It was just bad here. Had many people out in the rural areas stranded. Couldn't get in to get food, water, medicine, so they are a big help," said Judge Executive Raymond Hurst.

"It's great. It's one of the reasons I signed up. To help out any way I could," said Specialist Gregory Short from the Hazard Armory.

Guardsmen from armories in Hazard, Jackson, Harlan and the rest of the state got the call to help on Saturday.

This is the largest deployment of the Kentucky National Guard in history. About 4,000 guardsmen are scattered throughout the hardest hit areas of Kentucky. They say their deployment will last as long as the clean-up.

"They said we could be up here a week, two weeks. It just depends on how much work they have for us and how good of a job we do," added Specialist Short.

Judge Hurst says up until now, members of the community worked with volunteers from surrounding counties to clean-up the mess.

"And now the National Guard to the rescue! They're here now to help and what they will do will just push us so far over the top. It's really great," added Hurst.

Hurst estimates 25% of his county remains without power. An emergency shelter is set-up in Campton and a boil water advisory is in effect for all customers outside of the city.