TEXAS — In preparation for Hurricane Milton’s impact on Florida, Gov. Greg Abbott has deployed law enforcement officers and the Texas National Guard to assist with emergency response operations.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is dispatching more than 180 state troopers and law enforcement personnel, along with command vehicles and communications platforms.
The Engineering Extension Service of Texas A&M will send out rescue swimmers to help with flood rescues.
In addition, Abbott has ordered TDEM to dispatch extra emergency management staff to North Carolina for continued assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Milton started as a tropical storm when it formed in the Bay of Campeche on Oct. 5. By Oct. 6, it had developed into a hurricane, and within 24 hours, it had rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, packing 180 mph winds, as it traversed the Gulf.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 3 as it moves closer to Florida. The hurricane is anticipated to maintain its strength as it moves across Florida, hitting the west coast on Wednesday or Thursday.