Madison County agencies prepares for Hurricane Ida

JACKSON, TN (WNBJ) - More than 5,000 national guard members from four states have been sent to assist in new Orleans and Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Ida’s destructive path.

Ida is the second major hurricane of the season so far reducing some buildings and houses to rubble in Louisiana.

The storm should be making its way to Tennessee this evening with heavy rains and thunderstorms predicted.

Some agencies in Madison County comment on the possibility of severe weather in our area.

“We always want to recommend turn around don’t drown. Flash flooding can happen in any area. Whether it rains or floods there often so that’s something you want to be aware of. If you can’t see the road obviously, it could be washed out and something could happen so turn around and don’t drown,” said Anna Kate Craig, the Community Risk Reduction Coordinator with the Madison County Fire Department.

The fire department also wants to encourage people to stay updated on the weather in your area.

The Salvation Army of Jackson is another agency in the hub city always ready to be deployed when needed in disaster situations.

“So, whenever a disaster happens, we are able to provide that mobile feeding unit to whatever the incident has occurred. So, on that unit, we are able to make up to 15 hundred meals each session. So, what we will do here is that we will load the food necessary up to 15 hundred meals and then when we arrive on-site to whatever location we might be needed,” said Mark Cancia, the Commanding Officer of Salvation Army of Jackson.

A local chaplain in Jackson has some family members who are from Waverly who are dealing with the flooding and hopes they can stay strong during Ida.

“Well, I hope everybody in its path is pretty much ready for it. I hope the devastation and the damage won’t be as bad as it has been. I just know it seems like we starting to get over one disaster we have another,” said Jeffery Douglas, a chaplain in Jackson.

Douglas stepped up to do his part and created a donation site to assist the people in Waverly dealing with the floods.

To donate to the people of Waverly, please visit Chaplain Douglas' website.