Montana sends an emergency management team to Georgia to help with Helene's recovery

HELENA – Gov. Greg Gianforte has announced Montana is sending an emergency management team to Georgia to help respond to Hurricane Helene.

The nine-member Type 3 Incident Management Team is traveling to Macon on Friday to begin a 15-day deployment. Gianforte's office said in a statement that they will assist with planning, resource management and public information in an area where Helene destroyed an emergency operations center.

“Please join me and Susan in praying for everyone affected by Hurricane Helene and for the safety of our personnel,” Gianforte said in the statement.

Ken Parks, deputy DES coordinator with the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management, will lead the team and Montana Disaster and Emergency Services will coordinate the response.

Gianforte's office says it is sending these resources in response to a request through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a statewide system that allows governors to request and share personnel in times of need. Montana often receives help from EMAC in dealing with disasters such as wildfires.