Mississippi National Guard deploys for Hurricane Helene relief efforts
By Kaitlin Howell,
1 days ago
JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Thirty-one soldiers and airmen of the Mississippi National Guard (MSNG) deployed for emergency response missions in South Carolina and Florida to provide emergency support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Gov. Tate Reeves approved an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request for MSNG assistance as the storm made its way through Florida and continued up through the Carolinas.
“Our Soldiers and Airmen are always training for emergency response missions along with their military readiness training. The talented Soldiers and Airmen of the Mississippi National Guard stand ready to support our neighbors in Florida and South Carolina with lifesaving resources for transportation of vital search and rescue teams in Florida and debris removal missions in South Carolina,” said Maj. Gen. Bobby M. Ginn Jr., the adjutant general of Mississippi.
Members of the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 185th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, headquartered in Jackson, deployed to Tallahassee, Florida, September 27, 2024, in preparation for relief and recovery operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The MSNG aviation response team consisted of 18 soldiers, aviators, and crewmen, flying two UH-60 Blackhawks and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter to aide in the hurricane response missions. The team flew approximately 20 hours transporting search and rescue team members to the hardest hit areas in Tampa the day after the storm. MSNG aviators completed their mission in Florida and returned home safely on September 28.
Thirteen airmen from the Meridian-based Civil Engineer Squadron, 186th Air Refueling Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard, deployed October 2 in support of Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Their mission is to remove debris in remote and hard-to-access locations clearing the way for first responders and emergency personnel to render aid to citizens impacted by this deadly storm.
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