DENVER - Yesterday, Governor Polis directed the state of Colorado and the National Guard to send a Chinook Helicopter (1CH47) and its eight crew members to Florida to assist with Hurricane Milton preparation and relief. This is in addition to numerous other resources that Colorado has provided to states impacted by Hurricane Helene, including from the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), as well as the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
“I am pleased that Colorado is able to provide Florida with a Chinook Helicopter and its eight crew members to help with Hurricane Milton preparation and relief. It is the Colorado way to step up and lend a hand to our fellow Americans in need, today will be no different. Our helicopter and crew are in the air and should land in Florida later today. We keep those devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in our thoughts and pray for their safety,” said Governor Polis.
Colorado has contributed to disaster preparation and response in many ways. DHSEM continues to coordinate Colorado’s emergency response to Hurricane Helene, under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). DHSEM’s Incident Management Team (IMT) coordinator is coordinating national IMT response to Florida in Tallahassee, FL at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and a four member IMT in Columbia, SC supports the South Carolina State Emergency Operations Center. DHSEM’s Strategic Communications Director is in Raleigh supporting the North Carolina SEOC’s Joint Information Center. A Voluntary Agency Liaison is deployed to Chesterfield, VA. FEMA has also deployed Colorado Urban Search and Rescue Task Force One, which has approximately 200 highly trained members, that include firefighters, paramedics, physicians, structural engineers, hazardous materials technicians, heavy rigging specialists and canine handlers., which has approximately 200 highly trained members, that include firefighters, paramedics, physicians, structural engineers, hazardous materials technicians, heavy rigging specialists and canine handlers. Additionally, two incident management teams completed deployments with a six member team at the Columbia County EOC in Lake City, FL and a five member team in Conover, NC.
DHSEM is now also supporting EMAC requests for Hurricane Milton. DHSEM mobilized a nine-person Emergency Management Assistance Team to Tallahassee, FL to support evacuations as well as Colorado National Guard aviation resources. Coloradans can view this map to see resources deployed through the Emergency Management Conference.
The Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Coordinator was deployed for 11 days as an EOC deputy manager for a Colorado Incident Management Team that responded to Columbia County, Florida. The team supported five shelters and seven distribution points for water, ice, food, and sanitation stations.
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