Gov. Ron DeSantis launched Operation Blue Ridge on Sunday, deploying Florida agencies to assist North Carolina and Tennessee with search and rescue, law enforcement, and infrastructure assessment following Hurricane Helene.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday announced the launch of Operation Blue Ridge, an initiative aimed at providing emergency assistance to North Carolina and Tennessee in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The operation mobilizes multiple Florida agencies, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the Florida National Guard, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Teams deployed will consist of search and rescue personnel, law enforcement officers, and transportation experts.
FDEM is sending an All-Hazards Incident Management Team, a Communications Unit Strike Team, and a Telecommunications Emergency Response Task Force. Additionally, the division will deliver 42,550 gallons of water and over 100 Starlink satellite devices to help reestablish critical communication lines. The Florida State Guard will contribute two specialized search and rescue teams, eight soldiers, and one aerial assessment pilot. The Florida National Guard is dispatching two response teams and eight soldiers, along with two CH-47 Chinook helicopters to support heavy-lift operations.
FDLE will deploy a Law Enforcement Coordination Task Force, comprising seven agents and analysts, as well as a law enforcement strike team. The FWC is sending a 22-person team equipped with high-water vehicles, airboats, shallow-draft vessels, and a fixed-wing aircraft for aerial assessments.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will send teams to assess damage to transportation infrastructure in North Carolina and Tennessee. This includes specialized teams for bridge inspections and emergency road clearance.