JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Governor Mike Parson has ordered 100 Missouri National Guard members, 21 Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers and civilian support staff, and five Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team members to Florida to aid Hurricane Milton response efforts.
"Missouri always stands ready to assist our fellow states in need, and as Governor Ron DeSantis and the people of Florida brace for one of the strongest and potentially most destructive hurricanes in recent memory, Missouri will be there to help them respond and recover," Governor Parson said. "We will continue to assess how best Missouri can assist Florida in response to this hurricane and other states recently impacted by Hurricane Helene. In the meantime, Teresa and I are praying for Americans who have been displaced by Helene and the safety of the people of Florida as Milton approaches landfall."
Today's deployment is in response to an Emergency Management Assistance Compact request from the State of Florida.
Preparations are being made for Missouri personnel to arrive in Florida once the immediate threats from Hurricane Milton have passed.
They will assist in Florida for five to 20 days, depending on response and recovery needs.
There may be additional deployments depending on needs.
The cost of the combined deployment is estimated at $1.6 million and will be covered primarily by the Governor's Office's discretionary emergency response fund.
The State of Missouri could potentially be reimbursed by the federal government.
