Michigan Army National Guard members talk about their hurricane relief effort missions in Florida
Members of the Michigan Army National Guard were deployed to Florida even before Hurricane Milton made landfall. Now they are back home and talking about their mission.
Natural disasters can mean total devastation - like the destruction left behind by hurricanes Helene and Milton. It's times like these - the Michigan Army National Guard - gets to work.
"We took 10 people from our unit here on Selfridge - and two of these CH-47 Chinook helicopters," said Chief Warrant Officer David Casement.
"It was about six hours in the air and an eight-hour day to get there," said Chief Warrant Officer Austin Westmoreland.
These Michigan Army National Guardsmen got a firsthand look after the massive hurricane's aftermath including Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg - and so much more. "A bunch of flooded houses - flooded streets - debris stacked up in the middle of the streets - definitely a lot of damage," said Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Savage.
Their job - was to get first responders and special forces on scene - on the ground near Sarasota.
"We got out of there within an hour of sunrise and we were first on the ground with our search and rescue teams as soon as we were able," Westmoreland said.
"Our mission was getting them to those hardest hit areas that are hard to get to," Savage said.
Their Chinook helicopters the perfect tools to transport people and vehicles - for search and rescue.
"One helicopter can get everybody and all the equipment into the area where you would need multiple other smaller aircraft to do that same job," Savage said.
It's a job these Michigan Army National Guardsmen - were proud to do.
"I was just really excited to have the opportunity to help and do our jobs in the way that we've been trained to," Casement said. "To be able to help the citizens of this country."
"We were very fortunate that we were called upon to do that - and I think the Floridians were very grateful," said Savage.
They weren't the only ones, at least 6,500 National Guard members from 10 states mobilized to support rescue and relief efforts, in the wake of the hurricanes.
