Nearly 100 members of New Jersey’s Task Force 1 (NJ-TF1) have been sent to the southeastern United States to assist in recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The powerful Category 4 storm made landfall in Florida’s “Big Bend” region last Thursday night, with winds reaching 140 mph. As it weakened and moved northward, Helene unleashed torrential rains on Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, triggering severe flooding, road closures, and extensive damage to infrastructure.
Eighty members of NJ-TF1 are currently stationed in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the areas most severely impacted by the storm. Search and rescue teams are still working to reach affected residents, as flooding has isolated parts of the community. At least 30 deaths have been reported in Asheville’s county, contributing to the overall death toll of 91 across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
In addition to the NJ-TF1 efforts, 14 members of New Jersey’s All-Hazards Incident Management Team have been deployed to Georgia. Their mission includes providing ground support, managing facilities, overseeing operations, coordinating resources, ensuring public communication, and maintaining safety oversight. Volunteers from the Red Cross of New Jersey are also on the ground, with nine members dispatched to assist in the hardest-hit areas. They are operating alongside a mobile command center and a second disaster response vehicle.
To aid in power restoration efforts, about 45 line workers and support staff from Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) have been sent to western Georgia, where they are working with Georgia Power to repair damaged grids and restore electricity. These workers are part of a larger contingent of 200 line workers and support personnel from FirstEnergy, JCP&L’s parent company, who have been dispatched to assist local power companies.
FirstEnergy has also deployed approximately 60 workers to North Carolina to support Duke Energy, while the remaining 140 workers, including those from JCP&L, are stationed in Georgia. These crews are working around the clock to restore power and assist in recovery efforts as communities begin the long process of rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
