Minnesota National Guard Deploys to Aid Hurricane Ravaged Southeastern U.S. After Helene and Milton

(KNSI) — Members of the Minnesota National Guard and other support forces are on their way to the storm battered southeastrn U.S. to provide emergency assistance to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Thirteen airmen from the 148th Fighter Wing are heading to Florida to assist local officials with hurricane response efforts. Hurricane Milton made landfall near Sarasota late Wednesday night and continued to thrash the state overnight. The storm spawned more than 50 tornadoes that downed trees, damaged homes and property and has left at least four people dead.

Additional help is also on the way from the St. Louis County Mobile Command Post. It deployed to Mitchell County, North Carolina to serve as a mobile emergency operations center. The Minnesota All Hazard Incident Management Team is working in Aiken County, South Carolina on damage assessments and debris removal.

Eleven soldiers and two Chinook helicopters from the 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment packed up and headed for North Carolina October 4th to transport supplies like food, water, medicine, and equipment.

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