Thirty-one soldiers and airmen from the Mississippi National Guard MSNG have been deployed to assist with emergency response efforts in South Carolina and Florida following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
Governor Tate Reeves authorized the deployment through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact EMAC after the storm swept through Florida and moved up the coast toward the Carolinas.
Our Soldiers and Airmen are trained for emergency response missions alongside their military readiness. The Mississippi National Guard stands ready to assist our neighbors in Florida and South Carolina with lifesaving resources, including transporting search and rescue teams in Florida and removing debris in South Carolina, said Maj. Gen. Bobby M. Ginn Jr., the adjutant general of Mississippi.
On September 27, 2024, the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 185th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Jackson, deployed to Tallahassee, Florida, to prepare for relief and recovery operations. The team, consisting of 18 soldiers, aviators, and crew members, flew two UH-60 Blackhawks and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter. They transported search and rescue teams to heavily impacted areas in Tampa, logging about 20 flight hours before returning home on September 28.
Additionally, on October 2, thirteen airmen from the 186th Air Refueling Wing’s Civil Engineer Squadron, based in Meridian, were deployed to aid in debris removal in hard-to-reach areas of South Carolina, helping first responders provide assistance to those affected by the hurricane.