The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida State Guard have conducted search and rescue missions in North Carolina.
Florida officials have performed this mission in support of Operation Blue Ridge in remote areas in North Carolina, according to a Facebook post from the FWC. Governor Ron DeSantis launched the operation to help people in multiple states as they continue recovery efforts following Helene’s destruction. “At the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis, we have been deployed, along with other state agencies, to assist in areas affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Tennessee. Operation Blue Ridge also aims to help Floridians needing rescue in Western North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Tennessee Valley,” The FWC said in a Facebook post.
The teams say they identified the community’s critical needs, such as clean water, food, and fuel. The officials arrived in a remote community where vehicle transportation was impossible due to the conditions leading the teams to travel on foot to provide while coordinating with air assets.
The agencies responded to a life-threatening situation earlier this week.
Along with local firefighters, the team rescued a mother and her one-year-old child with special medical needs. They were able to evacuate the mother and child to the closest critical-care hospital, according to the Facebook post.
As part of Operation Blue Ridge, the Florida Division of Emergency Management is working to help Floridians needing rescue in Western North Carolina. The form can be filled out for yourself or someone else in need.