The federal government has officially granted Alabama an Emergency Disaster Declaration as Hurricane Sally continues to slowly approach the Gulf Coast.
This came after Governor Kay Ivey on Monday evening had a phone call with FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor and Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf; in that call, the governor asked that a pre-landfall emergency declaration be declared in an expedited fashion.
“The White House and Trump Administration have been extremely helpful as we have anticipated a potential hit from Sally. I thank President Trump for being a terrific partner for our state as we make preparations. My fellow Alabamians, please continue heeding all local warnings and stay weather aware,” Ivey said in a statement on Monday evening.
On Tuesday morning, she added, “As we continue making preparations for Hurricane Sally to impact Alabama, I thank President Trump and his Administration for approving our request so quickly. We will continue closely monitoring the developments today, and I urge everyone in the coastal areas south of I-10 and in low-lying areas to take all precautions and heed advice from weather experts and local officials. Please stay vigilant, Alabama.”
My team and I are closely monitoring extremely dangerous Hurricane Sally. We are fully engaged with State & Local Leaders to assist the great people of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Be ready and listen to State and Local Leaders! @GovernorKayIvey @LouisianaGov @TateReeves
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020
Sally, currently a Category 2 hurricane, is expected to make landfall Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. Coastal Alabama is under a Hurricane Warning. The latest projection from the National Weather Service shows that Sally will likely affect much of the state this week as it moves inland.
Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01) stated, “Hurricane Sally poses a serious threat to Southwest Alabama, and I thank the Trump Administration for offering the full support of the federal government by granting Governor Ivey’s request for an emergency declaration. Residents in the projected path of the storm should take all possible precautions and remain informed as this powerful storm makes landfall. In addition to high winds, Sally will bring significant rainfall and storm surge, so all residents in the path of the storm should take this threat seriously and listen to advice from experts. I will continue working closely with the White House, National Weather Service, FEMA, and state and local leaders as we proactively mobilize to deal with this storm and its aftermath.”
Ivey is set to hold a press conference with Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Hastings and John De Block from the National Weather Service at 10:00 a.m. CT on Tuesday via Facebook live.
Find the latest information from the National Weather Service here.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.