ARLINGTON, Va. — When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina in late 2024, aircrews from 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment, Connecticut Army National Guard, were among the first to respond.
Guiding CH-47 Chinook helicopters over washed-out roads and collapsed bridges, the crews landed on steep hillsides and remote valleys across western North Carolina to deliver food, water and other emergency supplies to residents. Working shoulder to shoulder with the North Carolina National Guard, local emergency responders and members of the community, the Soldiers turned each flight into a lifeline for survivors waiting for help in the wake of the storm.
The Connecticut Army Guard crews were part of a larger, pre-established mission framework under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC. Created in 1996, EMAC is the nation’s interstate mutual-aid program, which allows states and territories to share resources during emergencies, including National Guard personnel and equipment.
“EMAC is a legally binding, governor-to-governor compact,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Betsy Johnson, EMAC National Guard advisor with the National Emergency Management Association, the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that oversees the EMAC program. “The National Guard’s role is unique because governors can deploy Guard assets under state authority to support another state. That structure allows states to respond quickly.”
Long before disaster strikes, states maintain agreements to share personnel and resources when needed. That can include firefighters and other emergency responders as well as Guard members, units and assets.
The EMAC system gives states visibility of each other’s capabilities, so they know where to turn when specific support, like helicopters or medical teams, is needed fast.
When a state requests assistance, other states review the request and determine what they can provide. Responding states then submit an offer of support. Once both states agree on the mission details and cost, they sign EMAC agreement for that mission.
If that request includes National Guard support, Guard members then deploy under state active duty orders in support of the affected state’s governor.
“The National Guard is the only military force that can be called up by one governor to support another while remaining under state authority,” said Johnson. “That flexibility is what makes EMAC so effective and why states rely on us [the Guard] when the situation exceeds local capacity.”
Recent EMAC activations have mobilized Guard units for hurricane relief, flood recovery and wildfire response efforts, with thousands of personnel moving under state orders, tracked and supported by the National Guard Bureau and the NEMA EMAC Operations Team.
“EMAC includes 55 members,” Johnson said. Membership comprises the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
This shared framework allows every member to request and provide support using the same process.
EMAC also enables Guard personnel with medical and other professional licenses to legally operate under their home state’s credentials while in another state during the mission.
“That license reciprocity is important,” Johnson said. “It allows states to use the skills of Guard members without delay.”
U.S. Air Force Maj. Courtney A. Centore, a human resources officer with the Florida Air National Guard, served as an EMAC coordinator during Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, which all hit the Southeast U.S. in 2024.
“It was a lot of learning while doing,” Centore said. “My role was to route requests for National Guard assistance through the state’s approval process. Only a small number of individuals in the state are delegated by the governor to approve EMAC compacts.”
Strong relationships between the Guard and emergency management leadership made it possible to act quickly, Centore said.
“EMAC isn’t just a document, it’s a relationship,” Johnson said. “It depends on trust between governors, emergency managers and Guard leaders who know that when disaster strikes, help will come from across the country.”
After Hurricane Debby, one of the first teams to arrive in Florida through EMAC was a movement control team with the New Hampshire National Guard. That team coordinated the arrival and deployment of additional assets.
“They were able to step in immediately,” Centore said. “Their experience helped us stay ahead of requirements.”
After Hurricane Helene, the Florida National Guard also provided support to South Carolina and North Carolina through EMAC.
“It was a whole-of-government response,” Centore said of the 2024 hurricane season. “While the EMAC Operations Center handled National Guard requests, they also coordinated civil support, such as law enforcement. It was good to see states supporting one another, even when dealing with their own damage.”
National Guard forces make up nearly half of EMAC support nationwide, said Johnson, emphasizing that preparation remains essential.
“Understanding how EMAC works before an emergency makes the response faster and more effective,” she said. “It ensures states can access the capabilities they need, when they need them.”