LOUISVILLE, Miss.–The sounds of heavy machinery could be heard all around Louisville Monday as storm recovery continued. But, those sounds mean gas, labor, and ultimately a lot of money. Gov. Bryant said at a press conference Monday evening, that could be as much as nearly $8.5 million in Mississippi taxpayer funds.
And, he might call a special legislative session to get it done.
“As I realized their hospital was gone, it was the first time that I knew how important it was to get to work immediately,” said Bryant.
Part of the job of the heavy machinery moving Monday was to assemble a portable hospital brought in from North Carolina. It’s the National Mobile Disaster Hospital and it’s the first time FEMA has used it. A crew was putting that together while debris removal was going on in the east part of the city, where the damage was worst.
Mayor Will Hill said more than a hundred truck loads of debris have been cleared, but there’s plenty more to go.
“It’s not a time that we want to be a bright and shining star in the eyes of others in the world,” said Hill.
That hospital will have an ER, 12 beds, an X-ray, kidney dialysis, and even an intensive care unit.
Meanwhile, people affected by the storms continued to register for federal disaster assistance after last week’s declaration by Pres. Obama that seven counties in the state were federal disaster areas. About 1,400 people had applied as of Monday.
