INDIANAPOLIS -- About 100 members of the Indiana Army and Air National Guard are being deployed to Florida to assist with Hurricane Irma response efforts.
Governor Holcomb authorized the guard to mobilize and deploy to Florida over the weekend as Irma, now a Category 4 hurricane, is set to make landfall on the southern tip of the state early Sunday morning.
The 38th Infantry Division, based out of Indianapolis, and a team from the 181st Intelligence Wing, based out of Terre Haute, are fully engaged with local, state and federal authorities to assist with life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in Florida as Hurricane Irma closes in on the coastline.
The troops could deploy as early as Saturday morning to assist and coordinate response efforts and provide advanced communication capabilities during the storm.
"The National Guard stands trained and prepared to assist authorities to protect lives and property," said Maj. Gen. Courtney P. Carr, the Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard. "This is a core competency of this organization and we focus on being ready when called."
About 450,000 National Guard Airman and Soldiers from across the nation are on standby to support domestic response efforts for the hurricane.
