Alabama Governor Riley Declares State of Emergency Due to Tropical Storm Ida

November 09, 2009 -- MOBILE - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Monday declared an official state of emergency in Alabama due to the imminent threat posed by Tropical Storm Ida. The emergency declaration enables the Governor to invoke various emergency preparedness measures.

During a press briefing at shipbuilder Austal USA in Mobile, Governor Riley urged Alabama residents to take the threat seriously and to follow the direction of local emergency managers for storm preparation.

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“Based on the latest information I have seen, Alabama lies directly in the path of Tropical Storm Ida,” said Governor Riley. “We’ve weathered storms before and Alabamians have proven we know how to respond. Though it may not have the force of some of the storms we have dealt with in the past, we cannot afford to take Tropical Storm Ida lightly. The storm surge on the coast and flooding inland pose major threats which we all must take very seriously.”

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency has been directed to make appropriate assessments of damages and seek the necessary state and federal assistance for the affected areas, if necessary. Governor Riley and Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long will continue to be in close contact with local emergency management officials in counties throughout the state to discuss storm preparation and response.

The declaration allows the Governor to invoke Alabama’s price gouging law, which applies during times of a state of emergency issued by the Governor.

Click here to view the full text of the declaration.

Source: Alabama Governor