Wisconsin Troops, Emergency Volunteers To Provide Disaster Relief After Hurricane Michael

Wisconsin National Guard troops and emergency response volunteers are headed to Florida to help with recovery from Hurricane Michael.

Hurricane Michael ripped through the state Wednesday, causing widespread damage and killing at least two people.

Twelve National Guard soldiers and two medical evacuation helicopters have been mobilized to help with recovery efforts. Capt. Joe Trovato said it’s been a busy few weeks for Wisconsin’s National Guard.

“Soldiers from the very same facility in West Bend and probably some of the same crews responded to North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence,” Trovato said.

Twenty-four Wisconsin soldiers and four helicopters were deployed after Florence hit the Carolinas in September. Those troops returned home less than three weeks ago.

Trovato said the Guard is ready to respond to more requests for assistance as Michael continues as a tropical storm up the East Coast of the United States.

The American Red Cross of Wisconsin will also provide shelter, food and other support to disaster victims.

“We’ve sent 12 people to Florida as of today and I suspect we’ll send more as we find out what the needs are going to be,” said Bob Kufahl, public affairs volunteer for the Red Cross.

Kufahl said the organization pre-positioned trained disaster workers in Florida before Michael hit.

“We already have people over in the Carolinas and Virginia still working with people from the Florence situation,” Kufahl said. “Since those people are already on the ground, we’ll see how that evolves.”

Kufahl said Wisconsin sent around 100 volunteers to help with recovery from Hurricane Florence in September.