Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has activated nearly 170 Arkansas National Guardsmen to assist with emergency response efforts as a powerful winter storm moves across the state. Read more below.

The Guardsmen are staffing 28 winter weather response teams to support Arkansas State Police in transporting stranded motorists and ensuring safety on Arkansas roadways. Each team includes five personnel, two Humvees, and communications equipment, providing mobility and coordination in difficult weather conditions.

“Our National Guardsmen are always on call to assist our state when disaster strikes and, as this weekend’s winter storm approaches, we will need all the assistance we can get to keep Arkansans safe,” said Sanders. “These men and women prepare every single day for events like this, and I know our state is in good hands with their support.”

Guardsmen will begin their state active duty orders today and will remain on duty around the clock until conditions improve and support is no longer needed. Additional Guardsmen have been activated to provide command and control oversight, as well as public affairs support during the deployment.

The Arkansas National Guard’s role in this operation is to augment civil authorities, a mission it regularly assumes during state emergencies.

Governor Sanders declared a State of Emergency on Monday and allocated $250,000 to aid storm response and recovery. The Governor also launched HelpArkansas.com as a central resource for residents to find food assistance, shelter and warming centers, monitor road and traffic conditions, track power outages, and access emergency preparedness tools.

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