Alabama National Guard Conducting Rehearsal of Concept Drill in Preparation for Hurricane Season

MONTGOMERY, AL (03/16/2016)(readMedia)-- Release # 2016031602

Alabama National Guard Conducting Rehearsal of Concept Drill in Preparation for Hurricane Season

Montgomery, AL (03/16/2016) The Alabama National Guard Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill will take place Saturday, March 19 at the Joint Forces Headquarters building here in Montgomery. The hurricane ROC drill starts with the hurricane seven days from making landfall and advances until the notional storm makes landfall. This allows the AL NG leadership and key unit personnel, using an 80 foot by 50 foot map of Alabama to visually walk through all the missions and tasks they may have during a hurricane response. The ROC drill also helps the AL NG to synchronize plans with our Alabama Emergency Management partners for a seamless hurricane response. This drill is one of the many ways that the AL NG trains throughout the year to be prepared to protect the citizens of Alabama when needed and sets the stage for the AL NG hurricane exercise that will be conducted in April. The goal of the ROC drill is to assure Governor Bentley and Maj. Gen. Perry G. Smith, adjutant general of the AL NG and all Alabama citizens that the AL NG stands ready to respond and provide immediate assistance during a hurricane.

The AL NG invites any interested media representatives to attend the hurricane ROC drill and help tell the citizens of the state, what the AL NG does to train and prepare for a disaster response to protect them in their time of need. Come out and take advantage of a great opportunity to have an overhead view of the state and watch the missions and procedures that the AL NG goes through to support the citizens of Alabama.

WHO: Alabama National Guard

WHAT: Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept Drill

WHEN: Saturday, March 19, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: 1720 Congressman Dickinson Drive

Montgomery, Alabama 36109

NOTES: Media who wish to attend this event should email the Alabama National Guard public affairs office NO LATER THAN 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 18, 2016, at alngpao@mail.mil or call Lt. Col. Shannon Hancock at (334)306-4559. The event is at a military facility with access-controlled entrance; therefore, no media will be able to attend who have not responded by the above deadline with the following information: names, email address and mobile telephone numbers of each reporter/ photographer/ videographer (limit of 2 for each outlet) who will attend. Media should bring affiliation identification (press credentials) and a government issued photo ID.

Alabama National Guard personnel will be available for interviews.