Biden orders 500 more active-duty troops to North Carolina to aid in Helene recovery

President Biden ordered the Department of Defense to move an additional 500 active-duty troops into western North Carolina to aid in the recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, the White House announced Sunday.

The additional troops bring the total number to nearly 1,500, after the president ordered nearly 1,000 soldiers to the area late last week.

They make up only part of the on-the-ground federal response to Helene. The White House said there are additionally more than 6,100 National Guard members and more than 7,000 federal personnel aiding in the effort.

“These Guardsmen have been spearheading the response effort across the impacted region in support of their governors and communities, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this historic natural disaster,” the Defense Department press release read.

The announcement, according to the White House and Defense Department, comes in response to requests from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) and from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for additional troops.

The new active troops are equipped with “advanced technological assets,” according to the White House, and will “provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region.”

The nearly 1,000 troops on the ground already are from North Carolina’s Fort Liberty and Kentucky’s Fort Campbell. They work closely with FEMA and North Carolina officials, the Defense Department said, “to provide commodity distribution to local jurisdictions designated by FEMA.” They have also helped clear emergency routes and will be aided by a rotary wing aircraft, which has been deployed to the region.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has set up three emergency operations centers in North Carolina, of the 12 total across the Southeast. The “emergency power team” has also been working on the ground to make water and wastewater assessments, to inspect bridges and roads, and to remove debris in North Carolina and Florida.

“The Department of Defense will continue to stay fully engaged with FEMA and the whole-of-government relief efforts related to Hurricane Helene, providing capabilities that best support needs on the ground,” the Defense Department press release said.   

The Biden administration pointed to the $137 million in federal assistance that it has directed to help “survivors jumpstart their recoveries” and said there is “more to come.”

The administration touted its on-the-ground efforts and collaboration with local officials, noting that in the past several days, the Biden administration “has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need.”

The administration is also encouraging local residents to apply for FEMA assistance, and it has set up a website to combat misinformation surrounding the federal government’s response efforts.