Connecticut Doubles Down on Contributions to Nationwide Hurricane Helene Response

The Connecticut National Guard and other state rescue teams are helping to supplement a massive, nationwide response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced last week.

The roughly week-long deployment of Connecticut teams comes in addition to around 1,500 active duty troops and thousands of federal employees, which President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have mobilized alongside more than $137 million in federal assistance as part of a rapid response designed to aid storm-damaged communities across the Southeast.

In a statement Sunday, the president described a Biden-Harris Administration response effort that began before Helene made landfall.

“With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – my Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding,” Biden said.

Connecticut’s contributions to the recovery efforts include helicopters and air crews from the state National Guard’s Bravo Company, 2-104th Aviation, 1-169th Aviation Regiment. These teams have been deployed to Salisbury, North Carolina to assist with moving supplies to communities in the western part of the state that are stranded after the storm.

“Connecticut is prepared to lead by example and deliver assistance to our neighbors during times of emergency,” Lamont said in a press release. “The soldiers from the Connecticut National Guard have always been ready to respond to any crisis here in our state whenever the need arises.”

This deployment comes in addition to an earlier, Sept. 27, deployment of a Connecticut-based flight crew and CH-47 Chinook helicopter as well as an eight-member urban search and rescue team from the state’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

The unit is deploying under the authorization of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid system among states and territories for lifesaving resources during natural and man-made disasters.

In a Sunday press release, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said search and rescue teams had assisted more than 6,500 people since the storm hit.

“The people of Western North Carolina are strong, and they deserve every bit of help we can get them,” Cooper said. “I’m so grateful for everyone stepping up to help as we dig out from this unprecedented storm.”

Posted By Michelle Rappaport