Virginia Guard personnel preparing for possible post-storm recovery operations from Hurricane Earl - Sept. 1

The Virginia National Guard will bring up to 200 Soldiers and Airmen on state active duty starting Sept. 1 for possible post-storm recovery operations should Hurricane Earl impact the Hampton Roads area. Virginia Guard personnel will begin staging Wednesday evening and will be pre-staged and ready Thursday morning to support potential response missions before Hurricane Earl reaches the Virginia coastline.

Governor Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Virginia Wednesday morning, a step authorizing state agencies to take precautionary action to prepare for any potential impacts in eastern Virginia from Hurricane Earl. The declaration authorizes the Adjutant General of Virginia to call up those resources he thinks are necessary to ensure it can fulfill its mission in the event the storm impacts Virginia.

"We are staging personnel, vehicles and equipment in Hampton and Norfolk to support missions such as high-water transport and light debris removal," said Col. Jeff Hice, joint operations officer for the Virginia Guard. "The key to rapid response for this event is having personnel in place and ready to respond before the hurricane moves into the region."

Soldiers from the Hampton-based 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, 116th Brigade Combat Team and Airmen from the Virginia Beach-based 203d RED HORSE Civil Engineering Squadron will be providing personnel for the operation.

The Virginia National Guard receives their missions through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to assist state and local emergency response organizations and is not able to respond to direct support requests from the public, Hice said. "If the hurricane causes any conditions where people need assistance, they should request assistance through their local dispatcher or 911 service, not directly to the Virginia Guard. When appropriate, the request for assistance will be forwarded to us for action," he said.