Stuart, Florida. (October 12, 2024): Just when the National Guard thought it had its hands full with Helene, along comes Milton, a Category 3 hurricane which slammed into Florida this week. In this photo by Major Cammy Alberts, Florida, and South Carolina National Guard Soldiers search for residents in need of assistance in this tiny coastal city. Tornadoes spawned by the storm decimated areas of Stuart as Milton progressed across the state.

At least fourteen deaths have been attributed to the hurricane which left 3.4 million Floridians in the dark. The storm came ashore seventy miles south of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph that triggered dozens of tornados. The storm cut a path of death and destruction through the middle of the peninsula with damages estimated to be over 1.9 billion according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Of the seven deadliest hurricanes since 2000, four have hit Florida.

As of Sunday, over 7,600 Guardsmen from nineteen states helped rescue hundreds of people threatened by flooding in and around the Tampa area. Crews used two helicopters, 590 high-water vehicles, and thirteen boats to pull people to safety. Guard teams also cleared roads, distributed food, and water, and helped provide security. Many of the hardest hit areas had large elderly populations that needed immediate assistance after the storm. Many Florida residents credit the Guard for quickly clearing roads for first responders so they could reach storm victims faster.

The Guard operates under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact which is a state-to-state mutual aid agreement. The recovery from both Helene and Milton will be a long one but rest assured America’s National Guard will be there.