{"id":299090,"date":"2024-10-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=299090"},"modified":"2024-10-14T03:43:59","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T03:43:59","slug":"florida-national-guard-assists-tornado-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=299090","title":{"rendered":"Florida National Guard Assists Tornado Victims"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, deliver water, meals and non-perishable goods to senior citizens in the Spanish Lake community in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Oct. 11, 2024.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech Sgt. Chelsea Smith)
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\n U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, deliver water, meals and non-perishable goods to senior citizens in the Spanish Lake community in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Oct. 11, 2024. The state of Florida established point of distribution centers throughout Florida and deployed staging areas to ensure supplies were available to those in need. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech Sgt. Chelsea Smith)
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FORT PIERCE, Fla. – The Florida National Guard\u2019s 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, quickly mobilized to respond to a series of tornadoes that touched down near Fort Pierce Oct. 10 as Hurricane Milton swept across the region.<\/p>\n

Within hours, Soldiers conducted search and rescue operations, cleared roads and ensured residents\u2019 safety in some of the hardest-hit areas.<\/p>\n

Delta Company led the initial response, clearing 30 miles of road blocked by fallen trees and debris. Their swift action allowed emergency vehicles and first responders to access the devastated communities more efficiently. The company reached 18 communities in the first few hours, contacting more than 100 residents to distribute supplies and offer assistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe train for disaster response all year, but when the moment comes, it\u2019s about putting that training into action,\u201d said Lt. Col. Kevin Shuler, 1st battalion commander. \u201dOur Soldiers reacted quickly, clearing roadways and making sure families were safe. We knew lives were on the line, and that\u2019s what drives us to be the first ones there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The battalion\u2019s SAR mission was critical in rescuing 15 adults, four children and five dogs trapped in homes and vehicles by floods and debris. Soldiers used high-wheeled vehicles and specialized equipment to navigate difficult terrain and ensure swift rescues.<\/p>\n

Delta Company, led by 1st Sgt. Pedro Montero, a Miami firefighter and member of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue South Florida Task Force 2, played a key role in these rescues, working tirelessly to reach those in danger.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe train for situations like this, but actually being out there, saving lives, and removing people from dangerous conditions really hits home,\u201d Montero said. \u201cOur Soldiers are dedicated to helping the community, and there\u2019s no greater honor than stepping in when people need us most. These aren\u2019t just strangers we\u2019re helping \u2014 these are our neighbors, our families.\u201d<\/p>\n

The coordination between the Florida National Guard, local civil authorities and first responders was key to ensuring an effective response. Capt. Nathaniel Snodgrass, plans officer for the 1st Battalion, noted the importance of this collaboration.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur partnership with local emergency agencies ensured that we were able to provide timely, life-saving assistance,\u201d Snodgrass said. \u201cWe worked seamlessly with police, fire and rescue teams, which allowed us to cover more ground and reach more people.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to their search and rescue efforts, Soldiers from the battalion set up distribution points to deliver food, water and medical supplies to affected residents. The battalion\u2019s high-wheel vehicles were instrumental in reaching areas civilian agencies could not access due to flooding.<\/p>\n

As the day progressed, the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, made significant progress, contacting over 200 residents and ensuring they were safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are Floridians \u2014 your neighbors, employees and friends. We will take care of you like you are our family \u2026 because you are,\u201d Montero said. \u201cThis is our home too, and we\u2019re proud to be able to help save our neighbors and recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clearing roads, conducting search and rescue missions and distributing essential supplies, the National Guard\u2019s highly trained Soldiers and Airmen bring unique capabilities and specialized equipment that complement local authorities\u2019 efforts. As a force deeply embedded within the communities it serves, the Florida National Guard takes immense pride in its role as a first responder, ensuring that when natural disasters strike, no one is left behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur mission goes beyond just responding to the immediate disaster. We\u2019re here to help stabilize, support recovery efforts and restore hope. We know that in times of crisis, the Florida National Guard is a beacon of safety and security for the community, and we take that responsibility very seriously,\u201d Shuler said. \u201cWe stand ready, whether it\u2019s clearing debris or rescuing families, to serve our fellow Floridians and help them rebuild stronger than before.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more National Guard news<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard X<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, deliver water, meals and non-perishable goods to senior citizens in the Spanish Lake community in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Oct. 11, 2024.(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech Sgt. Chelsea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":299092,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-299090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=299090"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":299095,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299090\/revisions\/299095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/299092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=299090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=299090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=299090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}