Federal Government Mobilizes for Milton as Helene Recovery Continues

The federal effort to support victims of Hurricane Helene continues in the southeast as federal personnel get ready for Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), federal support for Helene recovery efforts has already surpassed $210 million.

FEMA alone shipped over 15.6 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, 157 generators and more than 505,000 tarps to the affected regions.

There are now nearly 7,000 federal personnel on the ground in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee.

President Biden also sent an additional 500 active-duty U.S. troops to North Carolina, bringing the total presence in the hard-hit state to 1,500 active U.S. army troops. There are also more than 6,000 National Guardsmen in the area.

“These troops have advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region,” the White House said in a statement. “These active-duty troops are focusing their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water—to distribution sites, getting those commodities to survivors in areas that are hard to reach. They are also working on road stabilization and route clearance activities.”

The administration made clear that the response to Helene will continue at full force even as Milton heads toward Florida.

Hurricane Milton Preparations

Meanwhile, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell headed to Florida to meet with state and local officials ahead of the storm, before traveling back to North Carolina.

FEMA and federal partners are also pre-positioning resources to support state and local responses ahead of the storm. FEMA also has two incident staging bases with commodities including food and water ready to deploy as needed. 

President Biden also approved an emergency declaration for Florida. 

How to Help

FEMA also put out a bulletin telling Americans the best way they can help the people of the southeast recover from this rash of storms.

FEMA noted that volunteers should sign up with a reputable group before heading into the disaster area, as trusted organizations “operating in the affected areas know where volunteers are needed and can help find the best place for you to lend your efforts based on safety, as well as your training and skills.”

In terms of donations, FEMA said donating cash to disaster relief organizations is the “best donation.”

FEMA reminds people to not travel to the affected areas without proper clearance and to check what supplies are needed before sending goods, noting that sending unsolicited goods can complicate the job of staff on the ground.