Alabama National Guard deploys to Texas for Hurricane Harvey assistance

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Alabama National Guard
[Photo Credit: Alabama National Guard Facebook page]

Three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday night the Alabama National Guard was being deployed to the Lone Star State to assist in recovery efforts.

Ivey authorized Alabama Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon to send two CH-47 Chinook Helicopters and two UH-60M medical aircraft, along with their respective crews upon a request from the National Guard Bureau.

Harvey rain
[Photo Credit: Accuweather]

“One of the hallmarks of the American spirit is the desire to help each other when disaster strikes,” Ivey said. “Alabama is proud to help our friends in Texas through lending our National Guard resources and offering our prayers and continued support in the days of recovery which lie ahead.”

Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Friday night unleashing winds of up to 130 mph and “catastrophic” flooding across parts of southeastern Texas.

Harvey impacts
[Photo Credit: Accuweather]

On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he had activated the entire Texas National Guard in response to hurricane, bringing the total number of deployed personnel for rescue efforts to 12,000.

“It is imperative that we do everything possible to protect the lives and safety of people across the state of Texas as we continue to face the aftermath of this storm,” the governor said in a news release.

The National Weather Service said some areas of East Texas could be slammed with an “unprecedented” 50 inches of rain by week’s end as the storm lingers in the region, reports USA TODAY.

“While this is still a dangerous situation with a long response effort ahead, the state and people of Texas are resilient,” said FEMA Administrator Brock Long. “FEMA was here before the storm hit, and we will be here as long as needed, actively coordinating the full resources of the federal government, to support Gov. Abbott and the state.”