National Guard arrives in Baltimore to support coronavirus relief
The Maryland National Guard has
arrived in Baltimore to provide "humanitarian assistance" as the novel
coronavirus continues to spread.
National
Guard trucks were first spotted downtown in a parking lot between
M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards on Friday, causing speculation on
social media about their presence. Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young said in
statement Friday that his administration requested that the National
Guard deploy to the city to provide more resources and partner with city
agencies on slowing the spread of Baltimore COVID-19.
Maryland had 149 cases of coronavirus as of Friday morning, including 11 in Baltimore City.
The National Guard will help with meal distribution to students and families
The National Guard will help with
meal distribution to students and families who are without food due to
school closures. Members will also help with planning and logistical
support for the city's hospitals and medical teams, Young said in a
statement. Baltimore News
On Twitter, the
Maryland National Guard sought to dispel fears about the threat of
martial law. "If you see a [National Guard] Humvee on your street, know
we are helping someone in need Baltimore Political News Gov. Larry Hogan activated the National Guard
on March 12, not long after the state reported its first case of
coronavirus due to community exposure. At a March 16 press conference, a
spokesman for the National Guard said it would ultimately have 2,200
people on active duty in Maryland.
The National Guard has also been spotted in Carroll County and has been setting up a coronavirus testing site in Prince George's County in the FedEx Field parking lot. Capt.
Ben Hughes, a spokesman for the Maryland branch, said as of Friday
evening, there are 1,600 members on state active duty, meaning they are
“in processing and being readied to take on missions." Another 600
members are in “enhanced readiness status” and waiting to be activated,
he said. He noted that the troops seen in Westminster will not be staying there, but are headed to Prince George's County. Baltimore Press Release Distribution
For More Updates
No comments