Oklahoma is sending various aid teams to North Carolina to offer assistance in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and to Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management announced Tuesday that aid would be heading to the affected areas from various agencies. Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Personnel are being sent from the Oklahoma National Guard, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, various county emergency response teams, local fire and police departments, swift water rescue teams and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
North Carolina and Florida requested assistance over the weekend through an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an interstate mutual aid agreement to share resources during disasters, according to a news release.
“Oklahomans know what it means to stand beside our fellow Americans in times of need,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement. “We will continue to serve our neighbors with strength and compassion, because that’s who we are. Oklahoma has sent a helicopter rescue unit, water rescue teams, emergency operations personnel, urban search and rescue units, and a public health team to help in any way they can. My prayers are with the Americans who continue to recover from Helene, as well as our friends on Florida’s Gulf coast as they brace for Hurricane Milton.”
The Health Department sent its own emergency response team to provide support in North Carolina.
The 10 person team was scheduled to arrive in Raleigh, North Carolina on Wednesday and provide support for 15 days.
The team will provide aid in the form of environmental health support, nursing assistance in shelters and public health support in the Emergency Operations Center.
“A critical part of public health is responding to disasters and emergencies,” said Keith Reed, commissioner of health, in a statement. “Our team is well-trained and prepared to respond to a multitude of situations within Oklahoma and other states when needed. I am very proud to work alongside these dedicated individuals who have put their lives on hold to help others in need.”