Thousands of National Guardsmen are currently engaged in rescue efforts in Florida in response to Tropical Storm Helene, as confirmed by the Defense Department on Friday. The state of Florida has nearly 3,900 guardsmen, 450 tactical vehicles, 13 rotary wing assets, and six boats actively participating in emergency response missions across 21 counties.
Additionally, North Carolina has mobilized 358 guardsmen, while Georgia and Alabama have over 300 and 43 guardsmen on orders respectively, ready to assist as needed. The US Northern Command has dispatched a specialized team to Florida to ensure swift responses to any requests for assistance from FEMA.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has granted approval for the deployment of a dual-status commander in both Florida and Georgia. A dual-status commander is a unique position held by a National Guard, regular Army, or regular Air Force officer who can operate in both federal and state capacities simultaneously, under the joint management of USNORTHCOM and the National Guard Bureau.
