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A total of 20 engineer soldiers, including some stationed at Camp Smith in Cortlandt, have been deployed to South Carolina to support the recovery efforts, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday, Oct. 3.
There, they will report to the South Carolina Army National Guard's Readiness Center in Greenville, South Carolina. They were deployed alongside 17 pieces of heavy equipment, including dump trucks, backhoes, front-end loaders, and cranes.
"New Yorkers lead by example and help our neighbors in times of despair," Hochul said, adding, "These additional resources and expert personnel being sent to South Carolina will assist in the cleanup and recovery of the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, and help improve the quality of life for the civilians living there."
The death toll from Helene is up to above 200, with hundreds still missing. It is now the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland US since Katrina, according to a report by CNN.
In addition to sending soldiers from New York, Hochul has also deployed a swift water rescue team and equipment as well as heavy lift helicopters.
The help is much-needed, as over 940,000 customers in the Southeast US have been left without power and much infrastructure will need to be rebuilt before it is restored, CNN reported.
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