As much of Mississippi still fights the effects of Winter Storm Fern, which left behind frigid temperatures and ice in at least 47 counties, Gov. Tate Reeves is mobilizing the National Guard to help with response efforts.
The Republican governor announced during a Monday afternoon press conference that he is deploying around 500 members, “with the exception that it is possible that those numbers will go up.”
“We will deploy the Mississippi National Guard over the next 24 to 48 hours. [Major General Bobby M. Ginn] and his team started planning for this earlier last week,” Reeves said.
Ginn said during the same press conference that National Guard members will aid in debris cleanup, traffic control, and the delivery of supplies. Members will be stationed at Camp McCain in Grenada and Tupelo before being sent out to different areas of the northern part of the state.
“I foresee us getting on the road by tomorrow afternoon and being fully mission-capable and fully operational by Wednesday morning,” Ginn said. “We’ll be focused on logistics mainly, getting water and food out there. [Delivering] generators by air if need be. The delivery vehicles will be 10-ton vehicles carrying fuel and other cargo.”
Reeves also provided an initial damage assessment that included major damage to 20 public roads, 14 homes, and one business. Minor damage has been reported at three homes. However, damage numbers are expected to rise as roads clear and assessments continue.
Earlier on Monday, Reeves confirmed that two people died and two others were injured as a result of the weather. At least 147,000 residents were still without power as of Monday afternoon. 61 shelters and warming centers are stationed in 30 counties to help those who are without electricity and heat.
As temperatures stay below freezing, especially in impacted areas, and aren’t expected to rise above the 32-degree mark until sometime Tuesday afternoon, response time has been slowed for initial assistance. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has received over 130 requests from 33 counties for additional assistance and is in the process of reviewing and delivering.
“Our team at MEMA is analyzing those. We want to prioritize those, and we want to make sure we get unmet needs met as quickly as possible,” Reeves said, noting there will be a short window in the middle of the week before another front moves in. “We do see a window of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday as potential to get a lot of resources out to the counties. But we also have challenges that it appears at this time there may be another front coming to the state sometime around the weekend with very low and frigid conditions.”
Reeves remains confident that the combination of state and federal resources will pay dividends for long-term recovery. FEMA has already started sending assistance to the state, including 30 industrial generators with 30 more coming on Tuesday. Reeves said he spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who “offered whatever we need.”
“We will get through this, but we’re not going to get through this today. And we’re not going to get through this tomorrow. It’s going to take time,” he said.