Georgia State Defense Force Soldiers Assisted in Hurricane Helene Recovery Response
Storm Devastates Portions of the Southeast in September 2024
Story by Capt. Beverly Shepard and Pfc. Emma Foley
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF) Soldiers answered the call to serve Georgia and its citizens.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency led the state’s recovery efforts. The GSDF assisted the Georgia National Guard with debris clearance, water distribution, and traffic control operations in both northern and southern portions of the state.
Hurricane Helene hit the coast of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on September 26, 2024. It traveled north through portions of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, leaving devastation in its path. It was the strongest hurricane on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida, the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Maria in 2017, and the deadliest to strike the mainland United States since Katrina in 2005.
The GSDF began preparations before the hurricane made landfall, working with the Georgia National Guard in the Joint Operations Center at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Ga. GSDF Soldiers continued to volunteer with the Georgia National Guard days after the storm.
Defense.gov, the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, and The Ritz Herald both published stories that featured the Georgia State Defense Force assisting the Georgia National Guard in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
In early October, Mark Winne, a reporter with metro Atlanta’s WSB-TV Channel 2 (ABC affiliate) mentioned the GSDF during a newscast, following his interview with Commander of the Georgia Air National Guard Maj. Gen. Konata Crumbly and Commander of the Georgia Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Jasmon Fryman.
Throughout the response, the GSDF personified its motto: Parati Servire!, meaning Ready to Serve!
“I could not be more proud of the men and women of Georgia’s State Defense Force and their selfless response to the citizens of the state,” said GSDF Commanding General Brig. Gen. Dennis Watts.
For more on the GSDF’s response to Hurricane Helene, follow the GSDF Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
About the GSDF
The GSDF is a component of the Georgia Department of Defense, along with the Georgia Air National Guard and Georgia Army National Guard.
To join the GSDF, go to gsdf.link/join
