Florida National Guard going to North Carolina, Tennessee to help with Hurricane Helene recovery

ORLANDO, Fl - Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is rapidly deploying assistance to North Carolina and Tennessee to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

Both states experienced devastating losses and damage from the storm.

During a press conference today in Suwannee, Florida, Gov. DeSantis said "…our view is, if we’re going to go halfway around the world and rescue people from Israel, we gotta also be willing to go and bring some helicopters into the mountains and rescue people there if they need that type of assistance."

This multi-state agency response called Operation Blue Ridge will include these Florida agencies according to the press release:

• Florida Division of Emergency ManagementOne All-Hazards Incident Management TeamOne Communication Unit Strike TeamOne Telecommunications Emergency Response Task ForceTen Truck Loads of Water (which equates to 42, 550 gallons of water)Over 100 Starlinks
• One All-Hazards Incident Management Team
• One Communication Unit Strike Team
• One Telecommunications Emergency Response Task Force
• Ten Truck Loads of Water (which equates to 42, 550 gallons of water)
• Over 100 Starlinks
• Florida State GuardTwo Special Missions Search and Rescue Teams8 search and rescue soldiers1 aerial assessment pilot
• Two Special Missions Search and Rescue Teams8 search and rescue soldiers1 aerial assessment pilot
• 8 search and rescue soldiers
• 1 aerial assessment pilot
• Florida National GuardTwo National Guard Response Teams8 National Guard soldiersEquipment2 CH-47 Chinooks and crew
• Two National Guard Response Teams8 National Guard soldiers
• 8 National Guard soldiers
• Equipment2 CH-47 Chinooks and crew
• 2 CH-47 Chinooks and crew
• Florida Department of Law EnforcementOne Law Enforcement Coordination Taskforce7 FDLE agents and analystsOne Law Enforcement Strike Team7 FDLE agents and officers
• One Law Enforcement Coordination Taskforce7 FDLE agents and analysts
• 7 FDLE agents and analysts
• One Law Enforcement Strike Team7 FDLE agents and officers
• 7 FDLE agents and officers
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission22-man team2 Captains2 Team Leaders12 Officers/Investigators1 LE PIO1 MechanicEquipment1 SOG trailer4 High-water vehicles (buggy/high-water UTV)3 Airboats3 Shallow Draft vessels18 4x4 trucksAviationFixed-wing aircraft1 pilot1 tactical flight officer
• 22-man team2 Captains2 Team Leaders12 Officers/Investigators1 LE PIO1 Mechanic
• 2 Captains
• 2 Team Leaders
• 12 Officers/Investigators
• 1 LE PIO
• 1 Mechanic
• Equipment1 SOG trailer4 High-water vehicles (buggy/high-water UTV)3 Airboats3 Shallow Draft vessels18 4x4 trucks
• 1 SOG trailer
• 4 High-water vehicles (buggy/high-water UTV)
• 3 Airboats
• 3 Shallow Draft vessels
• 18 4x4 trucks
• AviationFixed-wing aircraft1 pilot1 tactical flight officer
• Fixed-wing aircraft
• 1 pilot
• 1 tactical flight officer
• Florida Law Enforcement Coordination Task Force
• Law Enforcement Strike Team

Governor DeSantis is also launching Operation Blue Ridge to assist Floridians seeking rescue in Western North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Tennessee Valley. 

These individuals can fill out the assistance form here.