Oklahomans are familiar with unspeakable damage caused by natural disasters as tornados wreak havoc over the Sooner State year after year. So when catastrophes strike other states, Okies are quick to lend a hand.
After Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern U.S. in late September, and the massive Hurricane Milton followed in quick succession, 10 teams from Oklahoma were requested to North Carolina and Florida through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a state-to-state mutual aid system.
The deployment cost the state about $4.2 million for the missions, but those states will reimburse Oklahoma, said Keli Cain, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management’s public affairs director.
Nearly 130 Oklahomans were deployed to Florida and North Carolina to assist with relief, including Brad Smith, an Oklahoma City battalion chief and Urban Search and Rescue Team leader.
Smith led a team of 16 people on the 14-day mission that ended late last week. The team did damage assessments, primary searches of destroyed houses and even made a live rescue before entering North Carolina.