Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy | Alabama Gov. Bob Riley thanks Alabama National Guard Soldiers for their efforts to...... read more read more
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ARLINGTON, Va. - At the request of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, about 200 Alabama National Guard members are working with local officials to ensure the paperwork to make any claims to British Petroleum is getting into the hands of those who may be eligible to file a claim.
"The role is for Alabama Guard members to go out with (Alabama) Emergency Management Agency personnel," said Army Lt. Col. Cynthia Bachus, spokesperson for the Alabama Guard. "They just want to get the word out about the claims process and where the claims centers are."
She added that the Alabama Guard is not the only agency taking on that role.
"We're not the main entity, we're just one of the team members," said Bachus, who added that the Guard was called upon because it is a community-based organization.
"The Guard has been utilized before during natural disasters and we have been in the local communities and (the governor) felt that we could be an asset on just getting the word out and making sure the citizens have the paperwork needed," said Bachus.
However, what the Alabama Guard will not be doing, said Bachus, is validating or substantiating any claims filed against BP.
"Our goal is to not approve or disapprove any of these claims," said Bachus. "Our goal is to simply get the paperwork into the hands of those who have had some type of damage, either business or personal, to get them the paperwork and let them know where the claims centers are."
Currently, about 200 Alabama Guard members are working closely with local officials to get the claims paperwork into the hands of those who need it.
"They're developing the plan and it will be based on what the mayors (of the affected communities) feel is the best way to let the local citizens know," said Bachus.
Meanwhile, the Alabama Guard continues to fortify the coastal region against any oil that may wash up on shore.
"We've been putting up protective barriers along the Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan areas," said Bachus. We've done some security missions. Any other thing that the unified command or the state of Alabama needed we've been there.
"Bottom line is, we have always been there to help the citizens of Alabama," said Bachus. "Whatever we can do to assist the citizens with getting their claims paperwork to the BP representative, we want to help."
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2010 18:20 |
| Story ID: | 51146 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 150 |
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