MONTGOMERY, Ala. - One week after the April 27 tornadoes that ripped across much of the central and northern parts of Alabama, the National Guard is still heavily engaged in assisting the residents of the affected areas with more than 2,700 Soldiers and Airmen called to duty.
"Our Alabama National Guard is working tirelessly to provide security and assist with transportation and distribution of aid," said Gov. Robert Bentley in a speech to a joint session of the Alabama Legislature, May 3. "I can tell you I have never been more proud to be an Alabamian.
"Since this tragedy, we have seen the true character of our state. Alabamians care about one another. We take care of each other."
This is what Alabama Guardsmen continue to do in the storm-ravaged areas--take care of fellow Alabamians.
The Guard continues to help the residents throughout the affected area recover from the devastating tornadoes by patrolling streets to prevent looting, providing power to critical infrastructure that are still without commercial electricity, distributing meals ready-to-eat, ice and water, and flying overhead to aid in search and recovery efforts.
Supporting civil authorities in times of disaster is a core competency of the National Guard and the Alabama Guard will continue to work directly with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency to ensure the right personnel, equipment and resources are utilized to support each need, officials said.