RICHMOND, Va. – Gov. McAuliffe declared a State of Emergency for Virginia ahead of Hurricane Irma to help Virginia reduce any damage caused by the storm and to streamline the process that the Commonwealth uses to provide assistance to other states vulnerable to Irma.
A state of emergency allows the commonwealth to mobilize resources, including the Virginia National Guard, and pre-position people and equipment to assist in storm response and recovery efforts. The Governor’s Office said all Virginians must prepare in advance for the potential impacts of this historic hurricane.
“It is unfortunate that just as our nation has begun the process to repair the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Harvey, that we are faced with another extreme storm,” said Governor McAuliffe. “However, if there is one lesson we can take from the tragic events that occurred in Texas, it is that we must redouble our preparation efforts. The order I issued today is intended to both protect our commonwealth and to make sure we have every option at our disposal to help our neighboring states when Irma makes landfall.”
The announcement said while the track of Hurricane Irma is still uncertain, it appears increasingly likely that Virginia will see significant impacts from this record-setting storm. The entire Commonwealth must prepare for the possible flooding, high winds, and potential storm surge that could come along with a storm of this magnitude.
