MONTGOMERY—Governor Bob Riley has requested approximately 100 National Guardsmen to go to Enterprise to assist in tornado recovery efforts.
MONTGOMERY—Governor Bob Riley has requested approximately 100 National Guardsmen to go to Enterprise to assist in tornado recovery efforts. Additional troops are standing by. Governor Riley has also instructed Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Bruce Baughman to provide assistance.
“Enterprise has suffered major and widespread damage. The state is and will continue to offer all available assistance,” said Governor Riley.
The Alabama Department of Emergency Management has a team on the scene, and has deployed a search and rescue team from Dothan. State highway patrol and ambulances are also assisting. Lights and generators have been mobilized and are on the scene.
Earlier this afternoon, a possible tornado struck Enterprise High School.
The Coffee County EMA has set up a staging area in front of Enterprise City Hall, and the heavy equipment staging area is set up at the Enterprise Big Lots on Boll Weevil Circle.
Enterprise, AL is right next to Fort Rucker, the home of Army Aviation. Immediately following the tornado "Flat Iron", the Ft. Rucker Medevac was launched to Enterprise High School. It is because of the quick response by the Army that some of the victims of yesterday's tragedy are still alive. For many of the families of those children, the pilots of those helicopters are heroes. As in this case in Alabama, shouldn't the military be able to respond immediately to natural disasters without bureaucratic red tape tying their hands and slowing down the process of getting help to the people who otherwise might not survive?
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You have no idea how much it means to those of us who live in Enterprise, that we have had the support of our military during this time of crisis. They are hero's who will never know how much their support during this time has touched the hearts of those of us they have helped! I agree with Arthur Thank God our Governor has moved quickly to get things done, and agree that the military should have the room to act in disaster situations. I can tell you first hand that the efforts here in Enterprise by "Flat Iron" to get our kids out and to hospitals for treatment as quickly as they did was instrumental in saving the lives of our children and for that we will be FOREVER GRATEFUL!
Our military is seldom appreciated until something like this occurs. This country is blessed to have young men and women who not only will serve but will volunteer their time to help. Today in Enterprise there were literally hundreds of military men and women helping with the cleanup. Thank God for young people who still care.
This kind of disaster is what our military men & women should be taking care of. Instead, most are fighting a war that was unnecesary. Most would be willing to devote their time to these type situations, here in the USA. I'm a proud parent of a young 21 year old combat veteran.
