NEW ORLEANS — With Hurricane Milton ready to slam into Florida, Louisiana National Guard troops are ready to jump into action.
“It’s a full state effort and we have personnel that are preparing to assist, basically our neighbors, in this response,” said Louisiana National Guard Spokeswoman Lt. Col. Noel Collins.
Collins says men and women across the state are ready to put their lives on hold for a mission of service. Many will be leaving their families and jobs to do it.
“While that may be something they may have received in an order, it’s still something where we’re all called to serve and wear the uniform,” said Collins.
Tuesday morning a specialized team of eight troops left on two Black Hawk helicopters for a staging area near Tallahassee. They’ll be part of a massive aerial search and rescue operation once the storm passes.
“This is something that our guard does on a regular basis. We respond to crises, we respond to emergencies, and this is part of why we choose to serve,” said Collins.
Five hundred additional troops will head to Florida on Thursday. They’ll be focused on distributing resources, clearing debris, and fixing infrastructure.
“We are bracing and are prepared to receive a major hit,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “We are marshaling all available resources to be able to prepare and respond to Hurricane Milton.”
Wednesday, Governor DeSantis thanked the states that are lending a much-needed helping hand.
“I think it shows the spirit that these states are stepping up and providing really valued support,” said Gov. DeSantis.
Collins says Louisiana troops have about five days’ worth of supplies. How long they stay in Florida will depend on how great the need is.
It wasn’t long ago when the roles were reversed. Collins says troops from Florida helped Louisiana out for Hurricane Ida.
“We appreciate being able to give back to a state that’s in their time of need,” said Collins.
The guardsmen helping Florida make up less than ten percent of Louisiana’s National Guard force.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
