The military is helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder provided the following statement on the Department of Defense's support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene:

At the request of FEMA and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and in close coordination with our local, state, and federal partners, the Department of Defense continues to engage local, state, and federal emergency responders in efforts to assist North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene. Nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, have been mobilized to support residents and affected counties devastated by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. These Soldiers are working closely with FEMA and, in close coordination with North Carolina officials, are providing commodity distribution to local jurisdictions designated by FEMA. In addition, soldiers are assisting in clearing emergency routes and rotary wing aircraft have been deployed to the region.

The deployment of these troops provides additional manpower and logistical capacity to support local, state, and federal responders and has allowed FEMA and other multi-agency partners to reach the hardest-hit areas as quickly as possible.

In addition, today, the Department, in close coordination with FEMA and at the request of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and in close coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, will redeploy an additional 500 troops with advanced technology assets to provide better situational awareness on the ground. This will bring the total number of active-duty soldiers operating in the field to approximately 1,500.

In addition, and significantly, the National Guard has activated more than 6,100 Guardsmen, hundreds of high-water vehicles, and dozens of helicopters and rescue boats from 18 different states in active duty status for the state. These Guard members are leading the response throughout the affected region, supporting their governors and communities, and providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this historic natural disaster.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has established 12 Emergency Operations Centers in the Southeast, including three in North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers also has emergency power teams conducting assessments in North Carolina and Georgia, as well as water/sewer assessments, bridge and road inspections, and debris removal in North Carolina and Florida.

DoD will continue to fully cooperate with FEMA and the government-wide relief effort for Hurricane Helene and provide the capabilities that will best support the needs on the ground.

Pentagon/ gnews - RoZ