As Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury on the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding regions, emergency workers in Florida, Georgia, and other areas undertook heroic rescues, saving hundreds of individuals stranded in boats, homes, and vehicles on Friday. The storm brought strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surges, wreaking havoc not only in coastal neighborhoods but also further inland.
Florida’s emergency response team, comprising 1,500 search-and-rescue personnel, is focused on ensuring the safety and stabilization of affected communities throughout the weekend, according to Kevin Guthrie, the state’s emergency operations director. The Category 4 storm made landfall on the Northwest Florida coast late Thursday, leading to widespread flooding along the Gulf Coast due to storm surges.
Guthrie urged the public to stay away from impacted areas during a news conference in Tallahassee, stating, “As rescue missions are in progress, please do not visit the affected regions. I ask you to stay clear and not hinder their work.”
Reports of rescues ranged from life-threatening situations to residents trapped in their homes by waist-deep water. In Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, law enforcement rescued over 300 people overnight from the rising waters. Among those rescued was a 97-year-old woman suffering from dementia and her 63-year-old daughter, who found themselves overwhelmed by the sudden surge and needed assistance escaping their flooded home. There was also a dramatic rescue of a 19-year-old woman whose car became stuck in the water, leaving her unable to escape.
As rescues escalated, deputies were so overwhelmed that they had to request transit buses from the county to help transport rescued individuals to safety. “The deputies were unable to move them quickly enough in their patrol vehicles,” spokeswoman Amanda Granit explained.
In the Tampa Bay area, video footage from South Pasadena captured a house engulfed in flames while surrounded by flooded streets. County reports indicated that other areas along the Gulf had also conducted over 100 rescues. The Coast Guard played a crucial role as well, rescuing three boaters along with their pets from perilous situations in separate incidents. One dramatic rescue involved a man and his Irish setter stranded 25 miles offshore, where they were saved from their 36-foot sailboat amid heavy seas. The video footage shows the man placing his dog in a bright yellow rescue vest before diving into the turbulent waters himself, where a Coast Guard swimmer helped them both onto a chopper.
In North Carolina, the torrential rains from Helene resulted in over 100 swift-water rescues, particularly affecting the western part of the state. Governor Roy Cooper stated that flash floods posed a significant threat to life and were causing numerous landslides. “Saving lives is our top priority,” he stressed, urging residents to avoid driving unless they were seeking higher ground. He acknowledged the severity of the situation, noting, “Given the heavy rains preceding Helene’s arrival, this has become one of the worst storms in recent history for parts of western North Carolina.”
Meanwhile, in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp reported that rescuers were engaged in helping individuals trapped in over 115 homes due to flooding. Among the hardest-hit areas was Hanover West, a neighborhood in north Atlanta, where emergency personnel conducted multiple rescues as reported by local resident Richard Simms.
