Active-Duty Service Members Delivering Life-Saving Supplies to North Carolinians

WASHINGTON -- At the direction of the Biden-Harris Administration, through the Department of Defense and in coordination with FEMA, 400 active-duty service members are now in western North Carolina communities to speed the delivery of life-saving resources to residents after Tropical Storm Helene.   

In support of the state and North Carolina National Guard, these mobilized Title 10 troops will focus their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water---to distribution sites, prioritizing survivors in hard-to-reach areas along the route.  

“Today, FEMA and state of North Carolina welcomed the first 400 of America’s finest soldiers of the XVIII Airborne Corps including members of the 82nd Airborne and other units stationed at from Fort Liberty, North Carolina who are now supporting the residents and affected counties devasted by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. This support includes command and control personnel, transportation, infrastructure support, supplies and services, fuel and other support to people,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “We are thankful for President Biden‘s leadership and the support of the Department of Defense and U.S. Northern Command in providing up to 1,000 general purpose troops to assist FEMA, the North Carolina National Guard and other response agencies with ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.”

This operation enhances work already underway by FEMA and our whole community partners to deliver critical resources to the people who need them the most in North Carolina. FEMA has delivered more than 5.4 million meals and 6.3 million liters of water and continues to funnel more resources into the state. In addition, FEMA has already paid out more than $17 million in housing and other types of assistance to over 19,000 North Carolina households. With 600 staff on the ground in North Carolina and more arriving daily, we are reaching more people and helping them recover faster.

For North Carolinians seeking general information, please visit ncdps.gov/helene.