JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As wildfires continue to burn across Florida, the Florida National Guard has stepped in to support firefighting efforts, deploying helicopters and aircraft to help suppress the flames.
The National Guard is a state-run entity, meaning the governor holds the power to activate it for disaster relief and assistance.
Florida National Guard State Army Aviation Officer Col. Brett Rhodenizer says the soldiers working these fires were pulled directly from their jobs, schools and communities.
“We put the call out to our force and say, hey, you know, Florida needs our help. Who can come in? And some of those folks are able to walk away from college classrooms or their businesses, and they’re at work the next day and on fires that afternoon,” Rhodenizer said.
The Florida National Guard deployed several helicopters and aircraft to help drop water and suppress the fires.
Rhodenizer says six flight crews were on standby Wednesday and Thursday, with four actively fighting the fires — making up at least 20 personnel.
Equipment regularly used for training at Camp Blanding was also dispatched to assist with the response.
A Facebook post from Keystone Heights Airport shows Army Black Hawks equipped with water hoppers — devices that scoop water from lakes, rivers and ponds and drop it over burning areas.
Rhodenizer says the Florida National Guard will continue to provide assistance and work closely with state emergency response teams as the fires rage on.