State and Local Emergency Management Continue Response to Flooding

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activated to Level I (full activation) at 8 a.m. today in response to rising water levels and flooding along the Arkansas River. Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) staff have been joined by representatives from other state and federal agencies to support Arkansas’s response efforts. Participating State agencies include Department of Transportation, Department of Information Services, Forestry Commission, Department of Human Services, Department of Finance and Administration, Department of Health, Game and Fish Commission, Department of Environmental Quality, the Arkansas National Guard, and GIS Office. Federal agencies include Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service.

ADEM has received disaster declarations from Arkansas, Chicot, Conway, Crawford, Desha, Faulkner, Franklin, Jefferson, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Sebastian and Yell counties and the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock. Disaster declarations are an administrative tool that allows the jurisdiction to request disaster resources and assistance from other jurisdictions, including the State of Arkansas. Governor Asa Hutchinson declared a State of Emergency in Arkansas ahead of the anticipated flooding as an additional tool to provide disaster resources.

Counties continue to request sandbags, sand, and sandbag fillers. ADEM anticipates that this will be an ongoing request from affected counties as flooding waters move down the Arkansas River to the Mississippi River.

This morning the Arkansas National Guard assisted Conway County in dropping large sandbags by
helicopter on to Levee #16 which had heavy seepage. This evening, the Arkansas National Guard is
assisting Crawford County in dropping large sandbags by helicopter on the Crawford County Levee,
Board 1.
The SEOC will continue daily activation during the duration of the Arkansas River floods.
Citizens affected by this flood event should take all safety precautions and follow the advice of local
officials. If property damage occurs, and if it is safe to do so, take pictures of the damage. Citizens can
contact their local Office of Emergency Management to determine what preparedness measures they
should take.

Follow us on social media at @Ar_Emergencies and use the “hashtag” #ArFlood19 when posting to
social media.

More information will follow as it becomes available.

#ArPrepares #BePrepared #ArFlood19