Nixon activates National Guard to help with flood response

Gov. Jay Nixon has activated the Missouri National Guard to help with response efforts in Southeast Missouri and other parts of the state affected by flooding.

The move, made today, directs Guard units to be deployed immediately to support local emergency agencies. According to a news release issued early this afternoon, Nixon has been receiving updated briefings from his emergency management team, including senior officials from the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri National Guard, Missouri State Highway Patrol and State Emergency Management Agency to assess the current weather situation and review the latest forecasts.

The Missouri National Guard will provide assistance to those local officials right away in communities that are experiencing major flooding now, or which expect to see major flooding this week, the news release stated. Their efforts will include assisting local emergency responders with threats to levees near Poplar Bluff and other communities.

"The Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen of the Missouri National Guard have demonstrated their ability to help with natural disasters numerous times over the years, most recently in the work they did before, during, and after the blizzard and record snowstorm this winter," Nixon stated in in the news release. "I have full confidence in the Guard to assist local emergency officials around the state."