Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, claimed that President Joe Biden contacted him on Sunday in the wake of the destruction wrought by hurricane Helene.
He was unable to respond to the call however due to his involvement in a helicopter tour of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the Big Bend region.
However, he stated to media on Monday that the federal government should prioritize North Carolina.
“Florida, we have it handled. We have what we need … Most of the effort should be in western North Carolina right now because you still have active rescues that need to take place.” DeSantis said at a news conference.
“We’re going to be bringing people to safety. I don’t think they have any major way to get out of those western North Carolina places right now. That’s going to require us doing the air missions.” he continued.
DeSantis also announced that he will be dispatching rescue teams to North Carolina, where a significant number of Floridians have second residences.
Operation Blue Ridge, which was initiated by DeSantis, will transport Florida residents who have been left stranded in North Carolina by the hurricane to a secure location.
In Florida, rescuers have the option of employing boats instead of vehicles to assist residents; however, the region affected by the hurricane in the Carolinas is situated several hundred miles from any coastline.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida State Guard, Florida National Guard, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida Law Enforcement Coordination Task Force, and a Law Enforcement Strike Team will comprise this multi-state agency response.
Eight flight crew personnel and two CH-47 Chinook helicopters were dispatched by the Florida National Guard to North Carolina.
Helene resulted in the deaths of at least 116 individuals across the country
The Carolinas appear to have sustained the most severe damage from the hurricane, as officials have reported that over 70 individuals have been discovered deceased.
[READ MORE: Asheville, NC Utterly Devastated by Flooding Caused by Hurricane Helene]
