COLUMBUS, Ohio — In preparation for Hurricane Milton’s impending landfall in Florida, Governor Mike DeWine has activated a team of over three dozen members of the Ohio National Guard to assist in recovery efforts.
“As Florida recovers from one hurricane and braces for another, Ohio is answering the call to help Governor DeSantis and the entire state,” Governor DeWine stated. Forty members of the 200th REDHORSE Squadron, a civil engineering unit based in Port Clinton, will deploy to Florida ahead of the storm, which is anticipated to cause significant damage.
Upon their arrival, the Airmen will assess the support needed, aid in cleaning up storm debris from public areas, and engage in other recovery operations in the hardest-hit regions of Florida.
“Ohio continues to be ready to help our fellow states in a time of need,” remarked Major General John Harris Jr., Ohio adjutant general. “The 200th REDHORSE Squadron is trained to provide a highly mobile, rapidly deployable civil engineering response force capable of performing heavy damage repairs.”
This deployment comes in response to a request for assistance from Florida under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a national agreement that facilitates mutual aid between states during emergencies.
Just last week, Governor DeWine activated more than a dozen Airmen and Soldiers to support North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
