Winds from Tropical Storm Helene ripped the roof off this home in Williston, S.C., at 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, and caused the sunroom and screened-in porch to collapse. (Provided by Emily Wiles)
Members of Michigan’s Army National Guard will deploy to South Carolina to assist communities impacted by severe flooding due to Hurricane Helene, the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs announced Friday.
According to a statement, roughly 40 soldiers from the the Michigan Army National Guard’s 1436th Engineer Company’s 507th Engineer Battalion will join ongoing emergency response efforts by assisting federal and local authorities with removing debris and clearing roads.
The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division also deployed a Michigan Task Force 1 Type I Swiftwater Team made up of 19 members on Sept. 26 to assist in search rescue operations in North Carolina. The team worked in some of the hardest hit areas of the state, conducting 28 rescues, including saving residents trapped in floodwaters and stranded in homes and vehicles.
The team was demobilized on Thursday and is expected to return to Michigan today.
“Michiganders are tough and we always help those in need,“ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Members of our Michigan National Guard and Michigan Task Force 1 Swiftwater Team are risking their own lives to save others, honoring their duty and living up to the values that best define who we are. I hope they carry out the mission successfully and get home safe as soon as possible. Let’s keep helping each other.”
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