Michigan Army National Guard gets to work in Flint

Michigan State Police began delivering clean and safe water door-to-door in Flint Tuesday after Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency for Genesee County a week ago.

Residents of Flint, Mich., in need of drinking water will be receiving aid from the National Guard in response to a months-long water crisis in the city.

The governor’s office said members of the national guard arrived as early as Wednesday, with over 30 troops to be in the city by Friday.

For Williamson, 61, a former worker at the Buick engine plant in Flint, apologies, free water and promises are meaningless.

Standing next to Fire Station #1, Major John Keelean says people have been coming into pick supplies “non-stop”.

Mayor Karen Weaver said in a statement Wednesday she’s glad the state is putting in resources.

“We plan to go every day this week, and we’ll continue until everyone has safe drinking water”, state police Lt. Dave Kaiser said. With various city, state and federal agencies jockeying to assign blame for the crisis, An independent task force appointed by Snyder recently hammered the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality waiting until July to implement chemical treatments meant to keep lead from contaminating the water.

Snyder on Tuesday also requested and was granted support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate a recovery plan with other federal agencies that have the programs, authorities or technical expertise to help.

Security forces and charities, including the American Red Cross, are working to provide bottled water, filters and home water testing kits to tens of thousands of residents in the town of Flint for whom tap water has become undrinkable.

Flint police are warning people to be wary of scammers trying to prey on residents amid the city’s drinking water crisis.

“I trust the good men and women of the National Guard will jumpstart the Snyder administration’s lackluster response to this public health crisis”, Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said in a statement.

The agency’s top Midwest official told the Detroit News that while they knew about the lack of corrosion controls in Flint’s water supply, her hands were tied in bringing information into the public eye that could have protected Flint residents and their children. Exposure to lead can cause serious health problems among children, including brain damage, stunted growth and hearing problems.

Snyder, who has also faced criticism, said Monday that the water situation is a “crisis” and last week declared an emergency. “We are releasing this report and continuing surveillance and investigations to ensure that appropriate actions are being taken to protect the health of the residents of Flint”.