The National Guard and active duty forces have been engaged in relief efforts across the southeastern United States following Hurricane Helene, which made landfall late last month.

In North Carolina, one of the areas hardest hit, the National Guard has more than 3,300 active duty and National Guard troops on duty under the leadership of a dual-status commander. More than 1,500 of those are active duty soldiers now helping with emergency roof clearance, rotary wing search and rescue and the delivery of food, water and other needed resources to residents, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a briefing today. 

Across the southeastern United States, the National Guard, Singh said, has about 5,000 Guard members from 19 different states serving impacted communities.  

But at the same time that work is going on, Singh said, the Defense Department is readying itself for the next storm, Hurricane Milton.  

“In Florida, more than 5,000 members of the Florida National Guard have been mobilized to prepare for recovery efforts from the imminent arrival of Hurricane Milton,” Singh said.  

Florida is where Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall. Large areas of both Florida’s west and east coasts are under storm surge warnings now by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. 

Singh said U.S. Army North is preparing high-water rescue vehicles, helicopters for search and rescue operations, force to support to FEMA search and rescue teams and medium-lift helicopters for moving personnel and equipment which can also provide command, control and sustainment support to DOD forces. 

Army North, she said, has also moved personnel and equipment to Fort Moore, Georgia, in preparation for providing support to requests from FEMA and state leadership.

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