OCTOBER 3, 2024 – Since Hurricane Helene landed on Sept. 27, the Georgia Army National Guard has provided response and recovery support to residents affected by the storm, working alongside civilian agencies from across the United States.
Operating out of a centralized logistics hub in Macon, Georgia, daily convoys of National Guard soldiers and equipment transport much-needed supplies to affected areas across the state. The Georgia Guard is working alongside civilian agencies including the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) – the operation’s lead agency – as well as the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Transportation, and out-of-state help from the New Jersey All Hazards Incident Management Team.
“When I think of it, it’s really our primary mission to support local communities in times of need,” said U.S. Army Capt. Charles Smith, a logistics officer, 148th Brigade Support Battalion.
Capt. Smith and soldiers operating from the logistics hub have been working with civilian agency personnel from before sunup until well after sunset. These Soldiers embody their unit’s motto, “Send Me,” by volunteering to make additional early and late supply runs, increasing capacity expectations, and reaching dozens of counties across the state.
Hurricane Helene has caused massive power outages, non-potable water, and road blockages across Georgia, cutting a swath of damage from Valdosta to Augusta. The Georgia National Guard’s logistics task force has an ongoing mission to deliver trailers with ready-to-eat meals and bottled water to designated supply drop-off zones. Local authorities are distributing the supplies to residents, meeting these demands. By bringing tarps, the task force also provides a means for residents to temporarily protect their homes from the elements.
For the storm-affected areas that are more remote and challenging to reach, the Guard is deploying helicopters loaded with supplies at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon and flying them to locations that are challenging for trucks to reach.
Gov. Brian Kemp activated 2,500 Georgia National Guardsmen as of Oct. 2, 2024. The governor is entrusting the Guardsmen to assist the teams already on the ground and has requested additional resources be brought to Georgia communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The Georgia National Guard will continue to partner with GEMA/HS and other local, state, and federal entities at the governor’s direction.
“We’ve been able to support this and resource it appropriately, and I’m really proud of what our Soldiers have done,” said Smith
Story by Spc. Ehron Ostendorf
124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment