Pennsylvania State troopers deploying to Florida to assist with Hurricane Milton relief

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Dozens of Pennsylvania State troopers are deploying to Florida to assist with relief efforts after Hurricane Milton hit the state .

Fifty-four state troopers and two civilian support staff members will deploy to Florida, at the state’s request, to assist with relief efforts, including life-safety missions and distributing resources to impacted areas.

The troopers’ deployment is scheduled to last two weeks but may be extended or shortened depending on the need.

Milton hit Florida as a major Category 3 hurricane early Thursday morning. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday afternoon that five fatalities have been confirmed and that there are “massive power outages.”

“Today, we are proud to announce the deployment of Pennsylvania State troopers to assist the residents of Florida in the aftermath of this hurricane,” said Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris. “Our commitment to public safety and service knows no borders and we stand ready to provide support in this time of need.”

“When communities are devastated by natural disasters, the ability to quickly deploy needed resources to the disaster is a critical component of interstate mutual aid,” said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield. “This deployment of Pennsylvania resources was facilitated through the nationwide Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to rapidly share critical resources when and where they’re needed most, while operating under the leadership and direction of the requesting states.”

Pennsylvania has already provided assets to those impacted by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

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