JACKSON, Miss — Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves issued a State of Emergency Saturday afternoon ahead of Hurricane Ida, and President Joe Biden approved a pre-disaster declaration Saturday evening.
The state of emergency allows for the use of state resources for response and recovery, and allows officials to deploy personnel as needed to relief efforts.
The pre-disaster declaration authorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide emergency measures and assistance. The following areas are covered by the pre-disaster declaration request: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and twenty-four counties: Adams, Amite, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, Walthall, Wayne and Wilkinson Counties.
Hurricane Ida is expected to impact the entire state Sunday into Monday, so the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is urging everyone to be prepared.
A disaster supply kit should include:
• 3 Day Supply of Non-Perishable Food and Water
• Flashlight with Extra Batteries
• Medication
• Copies of Important Documents (Birth Certificate, Passport, Marriage License, etc.)
• Extra Cash
• First Aid Kit
Click here for more hurricane preparedness tips.
Current shelter openings, evacuation orders and a list of sandbag locations can be found here.
This page will be updated frequently as MEMA receives new information.
You can read the State of Emergency declaration here.