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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Over 3,000 Florida National Guard troops were activated to provide support and ensure rapid response to affected areas as the state braced for Hurricane Debby.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 54 counties, later updated to 61, and ordered the Florida National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to prepare to respond to the storm on August 1, 2024.
“This is nothing new for the Florida Guard,” said Army Col. Jeremey Davis, commander of the 50th Regional Support Group. “Getting activated during hurricane season is no surprise. We are well prepared to support the civilian authorities however needed. We’ll be working closely with state and local agencies for as long as we’re needed, and we can also call on out-of-state partners as necessary.”
In preparation for a worst-case scenario — long before any landfall — the FLNG assigned the 927th Combat Service Support Battalion’s Soldiers to staff the State Logistics Resource Center in Central Florida. The SLRC is a 200,000-square-foot warehouse that stores water, food and other emergency resources for distribution to affected areas throughout Florida after a natural disaster.
“You can’t wait until the storm hits to call up the Guard, so we get our people in uniform and into position ahead of time,” Davis said. “We mobilized for Hurricane Idalia less than a year ago; we know how it’s done.”
Florida Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, prepared Black Hawk helicopters at the Tallahassee International Airport for support operations on Aug. 5.
Soldiers from the 1-265th Air Defense Artillery Battalion conducted route clearing and debris removal on city streets in Lafayette County August 5 to help reopen the community. The ADA Soldiers also supported an assisted living facility ahead of the storm Aug. 4.
Florida Army National Guard Soldiers with the 868th Engineer Company conducted high-water rescues in Suwannee County, including within the city of Live Oak.
The Florida National Guard continues to collaborate with the lead agency — the State Emergency Response Team — as needed and directed by the governor.
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