Missouri Teams Aid Hurricane Helene Relief

Power outages across several states in the southeast US outline the path Hurricane Helene took as it traversed inland. pic.twitter.com/WRZjOJtALl

— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) September 30, 2024

The American Red Cross has sent 34 more responders from Missouri to help with Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Five of these responders are from the Central and Northern Missouri Chapter. According to a news release on Tuesday, they will focus on providing safe shelter, meals, emotional support, and relief supplies.

The Red Cross is responding to a 500-mile-wide path affected by the hurricane. The Missouri Task Force 1 has also been sent to help with search efforts in North Carolina. Crews from Vermont are working hard to help southeastern states hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

Fact check: False.

Tim Walz says Hurricane Helene "roared on the scene faster and stronger than anything we've seen" or something.

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) October 2, 2024

The storm has caused more than 100 deaths. Officials in the Carolinas say the toll is biblical and even apocalyptic. More than 2 million homes and businesses from Florida to Ohio still do not have power.

Rescue, relief and recovery operations from Hurricane Helene are continuing. Today, Gov. Cooper visited a supply distribution center in Black Mountain to thank volunteers, speak with residents and assess storm response in western North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/QweRIvDUKv

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) October 1, 2024

First responders and utility crews from the region are either on the way or already there to start the recovery. Vermont’s Urban Search and Rescue Team has been in Florida since Tuesday doing swift water rescues in the Pensacola, Orlando, and Tampa Bay areas. As of Sunday night, the crew and teams from other nearby states had searched more than 41,000 buildings.

Team Coordinator Mike Cannon said, “We’ve been tasked with a bunch of broken-up divisions in these areas to continue to search for missing people.” Cannon says once the team’s work is done, they will go to North Carolina to continue the search and rescue work. Crews from New York are also heading there.

Missouri teams join hurricane relief

Gov. Kathy Hochul sent 30 members of the New York State Incident Management Team to help with recovery efforts in Asheville, North Carolina. They will join 17 Army National Guard members Hochul sent there and a team of 16 swiftwater rescue crews, along with two dogs.

Green Mountain Power tells us they have nearly 50 employees and line workers heading to West Virginia to help restore power as millions are expected to be without power possibly for weeks. Members from the Red Cross in the region are also heading south to help out. Rachelle Lavau of Fairfax is flying to North Carolina to help with supplies for those in need.

“People responded to Vermont from all over the United States, so it’s really exciting for me to be able to go from Vermont to help another community in need,” Lavau said. “When it comes right down to it, we are all together in these things and we like to help each other.”

A team of workers from the Manheim-based company Servpro is in Tampa and St. Petersburg, helping victims affected by Hurricane Helene.

The company specializes in restoring homes and businesses damaged by floodwaters and removing mold and sediment. Owner Oleg Levin said, “It’s a somber environment, not different from what we saw two years ago with Hurricane Ian. This market hasn’t been hit in a long time, but people are resilient and doing their best to recover.”

Servpro is part of the National Disaster Response team, which mobilizes in emergencies.

Levin stated that a dozen team members are currently in Florida and will remain there for eight to ten weeks. Other crews might also be sent to hard-hit areas in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.