MADISON, Wis. - A team of 12 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers are headed to Florida to conduct relief operations in support of civil authorities in response to Hurricane Michael.
Two UH-60 Black Hawk medevac helicopters with hoist capabilities from the Wisconsin Army National Guard flight facility in West Bend reported for state active duty Wednesday to prepare for deployment to Florida.
Also, the Ohio National Guard announced Thursday afternoon that it is sending a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and crew to assist with Florida rescues.
Gov. Scott Walker authorized Wisconsin's support to Florida after the state received an emergency management assistance compact — or EMAC — request from Florida. Walker issued Executive Order 311 on Wednesday and declared a state of emergency, which authorized Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, Wisconsin's adjutant general, to call elements of the Wisconsin National Guard to state active duty as he deems necessary to support EMAC requests from Florida.
"Assisting civil authorities during times of emergency is one of the core missions of the National Guard," Dunbar said. "Our Soldiers and Airmen in the Wisconsin National Guard continue to demonstrate their professionalism, and they always stand ready to respond when called."
The Wisconsin National Guard stands ready to take on additional missions to support Florida or other states affected by Hurricane Michael, Dunbar added.
The medevac unit brings an array of capabilities to the response, including medical treatment and transport as well as hoist capabilities that can pull individuals from areas cut off by high water.
Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin National Guard continue to monitor the situation and review requests to determine if there are other areas in which Wisconsin can provide support.
The mission to Florida continues a busy fall for Wisconsin Army National Guard medevac units based out of West Bend. Multiple crews recently returned from North Carolina where they assisted in the wake of Hurricane Florence as well.
In fall 2017, thousands of Wisconsin National Guard troops mobilized in support of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Approximately 650 Soldiers from the 32nd "Red Arrow" Infantry Brigade Combat Team supported civil authorities in Florida where they provided humanitarian relief, security, and traffic control support to communities. Black Hawk medevac crews also deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands to transport patients in need of medical care to health care facilities, and Airmen from the Wisconsin Air National Guard deployed to Puerto Rico to assist in re-establishing communications on the island and provide mass feeding capabilities to first responders and civilians.
The Wisconsin Guard has also been busy assisting civil authorities here in Wisconsin. Hundreds of Guard members assisted with sandbagging efforts after torrential rains soaked southern Wisconsin in late August and early September, and Soldiers responded on multiple occasions to flooding in summer 2017 in Monroe County and Burlington, Wisconsin.