Press Release  Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Deploys Emergency Personnel to Assist with Hurricane Helene Response and Recovery

FRAMINGHAM — The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced that three emergency management personnel have deployed to assist in the response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

The deployment comes in response to a request from the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a national mutual aid agreement that facilitates the sharing of resources and personnel during emergencies. Under EMAC, a state can share any resource with another member state so long as the Governor of the impacted state has declared a state of emergency.

The three MEMA employees will provide critical support in the areas of public communications, response coordination, and logistics. These roles are essential in ensuring that the affected communities receive timely information, resources are efficiently managed, and recovery operations are streamlined.

“The destruction and devastation from the severe weather that has impacted the southeast in the wake of Hurricane Helene is widespread and unimaginable,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Massachusetts is proud to step up in times of need, and I want to commend these three dedicated professionals for their willingness to assist in the response to Hurricane Helene. Our thoughts are with the people impacted by this devastating storm, and we stand ready to support the recovery efforts however we can.”

“The personnel who deployed to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia are a shining example of ‘Team Massachusetts’ — stepping up to help others in times of great need,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “Massachusetts is committed to continuing to provide support and assistance through EMAC. I am grateful to our emergency management professionals for representing Massachusetts and providing much-needed assistance to our neighbors in their time of need.”

The following MEMA personnel have been deployed to assist with Hurricane Helene relief efforts:

• MEMA’s Public Information Program Supervisor Sara Porter deployed to North Carolina’s State Emergency Operations Center to assist in providing public communications support in the state’s Joint Information Center.
• MEMA’s Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Coordinator Marybeth Groff deployed to South Carolina’s State Emergency Operations Center to help request, coordinate, and track EMAC resources.
• MEMA East Regional Manager, Allen Phillips, Sr. deployed to Virginia’s State Emergency Operations Center to support logistics and EMAC requests.

“When states experience large-scale disasters like Hurricane Helene, they often rely on their emergency management counterparts across the country to assist with the sudden and overwhelming workload involved in the response and initial recovery,” said Public Safety Secretary Terrence Reidy. “I thank the MEMA staff who have answered the call to serve others.”

“The Emergency Management Assistance Compact is vital to providing much needed personnel, support and equipment during disasters to all 50 states and territories,” said MEMA Director Dawn Brantley. “I am immensely proud of our personnel deployed to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia who are using their expertise and knowledge to provide assistance and support. MEMA will continue to monitor and respond to requests through the EMAC to support states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.”

Since 2008, Massachusetts has both supported and has been assisted through EMAC during a number of disasters. MEMA personnel have completed a total of 58 out-of-state EMAC deployments in 20 states, Those deployments included coordinating air operations for the delivery of critical resources, such as food, water and gasoline, to isolated communities in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria made landfall in 2017 to assisting Connecticut, New Jersey and New York in their State Emergency Operations Centers after Hurricane Sandy struck the northeastern United States in 2012.

During previous disasters in Massachusetts, 14 states have deployed personnel through 36 EMAC missions during events such as the 2015 snowstorms and the 2018 Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions.

MEMA has also offered its support to Florida and continues to monitor and respond to requests through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) to support all states impacted by both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

How to help

There are a variety of ways to help those in the Southeast who have been affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. If you choose to donate or volunteer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a list of recognized voluntary organizations that are helping in states affected by the hurricanes and guidelines for donating and volunteering responsibly. Remember that cash donations are the most effective way to help during a disaster. For more information on how you can help head to https://www.fema.gov/disaster/recover/volunteer-donate.

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