(The Center Square) – Five days after a powerful EF-3 tornado ripped through Menasha, Wisconsin’s National Guard is being sent to help.
Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday mobilized the guard.
“By activating the Wisconsin National Guard, we’re ensuring every available resource is deployed quickly and effectively to support cleanup, restore essential services, and keep folks safe as recovery efforts continue,” the governor said in a statement.
The governor did not say why he waited to activate the guard.
WGBA in Green Bay reported it took some time for local leaders in Menasha and other Fox Valley cities to work “through the approval process.”
The governor was in Menasha on Thursday. He said the storm leveled some parts of the town and did likely millions of dollars in damage.
“What I’ve seen from the maps, it’s unbelievable. Having so much of [of the damage] be in urban areas, it’s really quite extensive,” the governor told reporters.
One of Menasha’s elementary schools took an almost direct hit.
“It’s going to be tough to bring that building back,” the governor explained. “They’ll certainly do it, but it is also a truism that school districts don’t have a lot of money. No matter what the insurance pays it’s going to be difficult.”
The governor did not say just how many National Guard troops will be sent to the Fox Valley.
Local leaders say they hope the first batch of troops will arrive some time Friday. They are not saying just how long the guard will stay.
We Energies, the power company for customers in Menasha and the Fox Valley, said as of Friday morning that more than 1,000 people in the storm zone still do not have electricity.
