The Defense Department is continuing to increase its support for local, state and federal emergency responders in a massive effort to bring relief to residents impacted by Hurricane Helene. DOD support efforts have ranged from assisting with rescue operations and delivering humanitarian relief to debris cleanup and engineering support in the affected areas.
Nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, N.C., and Fort Campbell, Ky., have been mobilized to support residents and affected counties devastated by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said. Another 500 soldiers are helping clear emergency routes, and rotary wing aircraft also have been deployed.
More than 6,100 Guardsmen, hundreds of high-water vehicles, and dozens of helicopters and rescue boats from 18 different states have also been placed on active duty status. Ryder said these Guardsmen have been leading the response effort across the impacted region.
The DOD will continue to be fully engaged in the federal and state effort, providing the capabilities that best support needs on the ground, Ryder said.
Helene Flooding
A National Guard helicopter flies above the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Sept. 28, 2024.
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Hurricane Response
Georgia Army National Guard soldiers load emergency supplies into a car in Valdosta, Ga., Oct. 4, 2024. The guardsmen are assisting in the response to Hurricane Helene.
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Damage Assessment
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Enrique Ramos, left, and Staff Sgt. Florencia Viverette sort through damaged equipment following Hurricane Helene at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 1, 2024.
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Water Delivery
South Carolina Army National Guardsmen fly relief missions across the South and North Carolina border aboard a CH-47F Chinook helicopter during post Hurricane Helene response operations in western North Carolina, Oct. 2, 2024. The missions are being flown daily from Greenville, S.C., as part of a multistate relief effort to provide aid to communities that have become isolated in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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Arriving to Help
Army Staff Sgt. Derick Bauman, a flight engineer assigned to the Ohio Army National Guard’s Company B, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment, watches for obstacles from the rear ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter while landing in a field to distribute food, water and other supplies to communities in western North Carolina Oct. 4, 2024, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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Resting Place
Airmen establish temporary living quarters in a fitness center at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Sept. 30, 2024, to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
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Tree Cleanup
South Carolina Air National Guardsmen cut downed trees to assist with debris removal from damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Greer, S.C., Oct. 3, 2024.
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