Alaska National Guardsmen no longer required in Florida hurricane response

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON – The Florida National Guard notified the Alaska National Guard, Saturday, Oct. 12, that it no longer required the assistance of the Alaska Guardsmen to provide response and recovery support following Hurricane Milton.

The hurricane’s impact was not as severe as anticipated, and Florida’s state, county and local organizations were able to meet the immediate response needs of the impacted residents. As a result, the Florida National Guard’s response requirements were significantly reduced, which in turn cut back the amount of out-of-state Guard support required.

In a notification email, officials from the FLNG said, “[T]he FLNG has been graced by an incredible show of support across Guard Nation and we are truly grateful for the willingness, responsiveness, and flexibility displayed by our partner states."

As of Oct. 12, only 13 Alaska Guardsmen had arrived in Florida. They returned to Alaska Sunday, Oct. 13.

Eight emergency operations personnel from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management continue to support hurricane response efforts in North Carolina, Florida and Virginia.