Five counties declared disaster areas

Governor Beebe declared Arkansas, Garland, Pulaski, St. Francis and Saline counties state disaster areas yesterdy due to damage caused by severe storms and heavy rains on April 3 and 4. FEMA has informed Arkansas that requests for federal assistance related to the latest storms can be grouped with requests already made regarding recent flooding. This will accelerate the damage-assessment process. As a result, these five counties will be added to the previous disaster declarations of recent weeks, bringing the total number of declared counties to 44.

Members of the 77th Aviation Brigade from North Little Rock were tapped late Friday to provide soldiers to augment local police forces in providing security to several Central Arkansas neighborhoods struck by possible tornadoes on Thursday evening. In addition to security personnel, the Guard was asked to provide 50 cots and blankets for the Saline County area for a shelter for residents displaced by the late night storms. At over 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen strong, the Arkansas Guard tries to maintain a minimum of 50% of the force in the state at all times. Today, just under 6,000 of those troops are available for response in support of civil authorities due to the deployment of the 39th Infantry.