The Wisconsin National Guard has been activated to help with recovery from a devastating tornado in the Fox Valley.
Governor Tony Evers toured storm damage in Menasha Thursday.
The National Weather Service said an EF-3 tornado struck the Menasha/Appleton area Monday, causing widespread and significant damage.
“We are continuing to assess the devastation Wisconsin is seeing, especially in Winnebago County,” said Gov. Evers. “Families, businesses, and entire neighborhoods are hurting, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help them recover. 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.”
National Guard members will aid local authorities with debris removal, traffic and safety support, wellness checks, and other essential services as requested by county officials.
Their activation comes as utility crews work to restore power to thousands of residents still facing outages and as community shelters continue assisting those displaced.
Evers had previously signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency.
As cleanup and restoration work continues, state and local officials urge residents to avoid downed power lines, respect road closures, and allow emergency crews space to operate safely.
