SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 – The Defense Department remains postured throughout the Southeast to support communities impacted by Tropical Storm Helene, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said yesterday.
The storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend area late Thursday night weakening to a tropical storm as it continued to track inland.
Damaging wind gusts are expected to continue as the storm moves further north over portions of Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also warned earlier today of “historic, catastrophic and life-threatening” flooding as Helene continues along its path.
The Florida National Guard currently has 3,900 guardsmen, 450 tactical vehicles, 13 rotary wing aircraft and six boats conducting emergency response missions in 21 counties throughout the state, Singh said.
U.S. Northern Command has also deployed a small team to Florida to be prepared to respond quickly to requests for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama also have activated hundreds of guard personnel in response to the storm.
Additionally, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has approved separate requests from the Florida National Guard and Georgia National Guard for a dual status commander in each state.
A dual status commander is a National Guard officer, Air Force officer or Army officer who is jointly managed by the Northcom commander and the chief of the National Guard Bureau and allowed by law to serve in federal and state status simultaneously.
“As you know, this is a rapidly evolving situation,” Singh said. “The department remains prepared to support response efforts as necessary.”
Singh also addressed reports of Israel’s strike in Lebanon earlier today and underscored that the United States was not involved in the operation and was not notified in advance.
“Secretary Austin spoke by phone earlier today to his Israeli counterpart, [Defense] Minister [Yoav] Gallant,” Singh said. “The United States was not involved in this operation, and we had no advanced warning. Minister Gallant spoke with Secretary Austin as the operation was already underway.”
She added that the Pentagon was still assessing the event and had no further information or specifics to provide as of the time of the briefing.
By Joseph Clark, DOD News