Local Nt. Guard on alert

Effects of Hurricane Irene have reached in-land to Streator – home of “Company A – 405th Brigade” of the Illinois National Guard. Major Brad Leighton is the Public Affairs Director of the Illinois National Guard. Major Leighton said “Company A – 405th Brigade has been told to prepare their Gear and vehicles for POSSIBLE deployment to the East Coast. The 405th would assist other military and social service agencies in transporting personnel and equipment to victims of the hurricane. Leighton says the “alert” or “mustering” is, at the least, good training exercise for the guardsman. The “green light” to deploy to the East Coast is believed to be coming in the next 12 – 18 hours. It will likely take the brigade three days to move all equipment to the East Coast.