ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Milton plowed into Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 storm last Wednesday, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene, pounding cities with winds of over 100 mph after producing a barrage of tornadoes and bringing flooding to many Central Florida communities.
Gov. Ron DeSantis authorized the Florida National Guard, about 3,600 soldiers and airmen, including Emergency Management Assistance Compact units, to assist state and local officials in response operations across the state.
The Florida Guard has worked throughout the state on several missions and is now concentrated on debris removal, route clearance and commodity distribution.
Since the start of Hurricane Milton operations, the Florida National Guard has:
- Assisted in the rescue of 600 people and 71 animals
- Cleared 2,642 miles of road
- Cleared 5,989 cubic yards of debris
Distributed:
- MREs (meals ready to eat): 1,305,972
- Water boxes: 1,581,120
- Tarps: 88,353
- Bags of ice: 59,914
For assistance after Milton, including information about FEMA, insurance, trash pickup and more, check out our Hurricane Milton resources page.