Virginians Continue to Render Assistance
October 26, 2005 – 22:15 pmI wanted to re-print the following message from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management because all Virginians should be proud of our folks who rendered assistance to the gulf states.
Virginia continues to send personnel, equipment and supplies on a rotating basis to the areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. So far, Virginia has sent more than 1,100 local and state personnel to the Gulf States through Emergency Management Assistance Compact requests, coordinated by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Seven localities in Virginia have sent more than 120 personnel to the affected area, to assist with law enforcement, firefighting and emergency operation centers.
In addition, several Virginia state agencies have participated in the Katrina relief effort. Virginia’s National Guard, State Police, and departments of Emergency Management, Forestry, Health, Fire Programs, and Game and Inland Fisheries currently have personnel in the region.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross are assisting more than 15,000 evacuees now in Virginia. The Commonwealth is working with federal and local officials as well as faith-based organizations to help evacuees and the surrounding communities access resources for assistance.
Town Pickett, a temporary shelter and resource center established at Ft. Pickett, near Blackstone, Va. is closing at the end of October.