Michigan National Guard Announces Mobilization to Support South Carolina Communities

LANSING, Mich. - Approximately 40 Soldiers assigned to the Michigan Army National Guard's 1436th Engineer Company, 507th Engineer Battalion, based out of Montague, will mobilize to South Carolina to help impacted communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene. As part of the ongoing emergency response mission to support areas impacted by severe flooding, the Michigan Army National Guard Soldiers will assist federal and local authorities with debris removal and road clearing.

"Michiganders are tough and we always help those in need," said Governor Whitmer. "Members of our Michigan National Guard and Michigan Task Force 1 Swiftwater Team are risking their own lives to save others, honoring their duty and living up to the values that best define who we are. I hope they carry out the mission successfully and get home safe as soon as possible. Let's keep helping each other."

"Part of our mission is disaster response and we train to be ready to support our communities across Michigan during times of need and to answer the calll from other communities when facing natural disasters," said First Lieutenant Brock Cristal, executive officer for the 1436th Engineer Company. "Our focus in South Carolina will be to help clear roadways and areas overcome by debris so that members of these communities can more readily receive the support they desperately need."

On September 26, The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD) deployed a Michigan Task Force 1 (MI-TF1) Type I Swiftwater Team through the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MI-MABAS) to help with potential water search and rescue operations in North Carolina caused by Tropical Storm Helene. Read that news release here: Michigan Answers Call for Help as North Carolina Braces for Catastrophic Flooding and Landslides from Tropical Storm Helene.

The 19-member team spent seven days working in dangerous, remote conditions in and around Chimney Rock, one of the hardest hit areas of North Carolina. During the deployment, MI-TF1 conducted 28 rescues and evacuations in Burke and Rutherford Counties, including saving residents trapped in floodwaters and stranded in homes and vehicles. Among other missions, MI-TF1 rescued three trapped first-responders and a resident from a boat pinned against a bridge and conducted a rescue of seven residents from a flooded apartment complex. The team also saved a severely dehydrated elderly man in need of helicopter evacuation and used a rope-system rescue to safely transport a stranded man and woman originally from Michigan across a river. MI-TF1 searched 646 buildings and covered more than 3,000 acres in North Carolina. MI-TF1 was demobilized October 3 and is expected to arrive back home in Michigan on October 4.

The Michigan National Guard and Michigan Task Force One Swiftwater Team received a request from South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively, through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). Through EMAC, a disaster-impacted state can request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently. All costs associated with deploying resources under EMAC are paid for by the requesting state. Members of EMAC include all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.