ST. PAUL, MN - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz today signed Emergency Executive Order 24-10 authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to provide emergency assistance to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

“Those recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene are not alone,” said Governor Tim Walz. “Minnesota will be there to support the region however we can. As communities rebuild, I am grateful for the dedication of Minnesota’s first responders in answering the call to travel east to help impacted areas.”

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26 and has caused devastation across nearly 400 miles of the southeastern United States. Massive flooding, power outages, and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure has left many displaced and has overwhelmed local emergency response teams. The Governor of North Carolina has requested Minnesota Army National Guard helicopter assets and support from first responders under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

The St. Louis County mobile command post is currently en route to North Carolina to assist with the response. The Minnesota State Patrol and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office have coordinated teams to assist with general law enforcement support in North Carolina and are awaiting assignment through EMAC. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal has been working with local fire departments to assemble equipment and personnel for dispatch to the affected areas as needed.

About EMAC
EMAC is a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states. A requesting state asks for resources (people, equipment, etc.) based on their needs. Agencies in other states with those resources are able to respond to a request, but there is no obligation to participate. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management division coordinates the state’s EMAC requests.

The Emergency Executive Order goes into effect today, October 2, 2024, and will remain in effect until National Guard resources are no longer required, or until November 1, 2024, whichever occurs first.