Gov. Kay Ivey deploys personnel, resources to N.C. ahead of Hurricane Florence

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Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence at sea. [Photo via the National Weather Service]

Ahead of Hurricane Florence’s expected landfall late Friday, Gov. Kay Ivey announced the State of Alabama is  deploying state personnel and resources to assist with hurricane response efforts in North Carolina.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) received requests for assistance from North Carolina and South Carolina as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. Currently AEMA has one mobile communication site vehicle, one AEMA staff member and one Mobile County responder in route to a staging area in North Carolina.

“As the East Coast makes preparations ahead of Hurricane Florence, Alabama will also be prepared to aid in any way we can. I spoke with the governors of North and South Carolina and offered our support,” Ivey said. “Alabama EMA will continue working with their counterparts in the Carolinas. Taking the necessary precautions ahead of time and having all hands-on deck to respond is of the utmost importance. Alabama stands ready to help.”

The Mobile Communication Site Team will support North Carolina in maintaining critical communication links for public safety radio communications. Their primary role will be to support their North Carolina counterparts as they experience an overwhelming need to coordinate their state response efforts.

“We are leaning forward to support those states that may be impacted by Hurricane Florence” said AEMA Director Brian Hastings. “We are a close-knit team in FEMA Region IV, and when one state is threatened, we all stand ready to assist our incredible neighbors to prepare, respond and recover to save lives and mitigate human suffering.  Alabama is always ready to assist when there is a need.”

Additional support currently under consideration for states forecasted for impact by hurricane Florence includes:

  • Nurse strike team
  • Emergency Operations Center personnel
  • Damage assessment teams and debris management personnel
  • Mental health professionals
  • Volunteer services personnel
  • Maxwell Incident Support Base
  • Electrical line maintenance crews

Additionally, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is prepared to expedite passage of vehicles for disaster response through Alabama to affected areas on the East Coast.