CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice has activated members of the West Virginia National Guard to support ongoing disaster response and recovery efforts in North Carolina and South Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

"It's heartbreaking to see the destruction our neighboring states are facing," Gov. Justice said. "The West Virginia National Guard is running to the fire without hesitation, as we always do. That's what we do in West Virginia– we pull the rope together. I'm proud we can join forces with other states to support North Carolina and South Carolina in their recovery efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with our brave service members, all the first responders in the area, and everyone affected by Hurricane Helene. Let’s continue to take care of each other.”

Twelve Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing, including a Fatality Search and Recovery Team, will deploy to North Carolina. They will assist the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, North Carolina Emergency Management, the North Carolina National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other agencies in ongoing search and rescue operations. A chaplain will also be part of the deployment.

Additionally, 30 troops, including a contingent of engineers and loader dump teams, will head to South Carolina to support reconstruction and debris cleanup efforts as the state begins to rebuild. These troops will work alongside local, state, and federal agencies to ensure critical infrastructure is restored and communities can recover as quickly as possible.

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 major hurricane at the time of landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida, dumped copious amounts of rainfall on communities across the southeastern United States, including Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. 

Busick, North Carolina, a remote town near Mount Mitchell State Park, received 30.78 inches of rain as a result of Helene — a record for the highest rainfall in the Appalachians from any tropical weather system. 

To date, Helene has been responsible for more than 100 deaths, including 44 in North Carolina. Many more remain missing, with numerous communities across the region cut off, and millions still without power. The Biden Administration has issued Major Disaster Declarations for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. 

“When our neighboring states call, we will always be there to answer that call,” Maj. Gen Bill Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, said. “The level of devastation we are seeing across our news feeds is beyond belief, and we know that both the citizens and the first responders in the impacted areas are in desperate need of help. With the strong support of Governor Justice, we are ready to provide any and all assistance we can render.” 

West Virginia National Guard assistance was formally requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC process. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement among states and territories of the United States that enables states to share resources during natural and man-made disasters, complementing the national disaster response system.