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Hurricane Helene Resources

Disaster Supply Kit Checklist

  • Build an emergency kit, strengthen your home, and make a family evacuation plan.
  • Listen to your all-weather radio or TV for information.
  • During the hurricane, take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.
  • Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
  • Follow your local officials’ evacuation order! If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
  • ​After the hurricane has passed, drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges.

Florida Ports

  • The Jacksonville District has its survey vessels and crews conducting surveys of deep draft ports in Florida to assess for shoaling and debris.
  • We work closely with our partners in the U.S. Coast Guard and various port authorities to ensure a quick return to normal port traffic.

JACKSONVILLE Port Authority (JAXPORT)
TAMPA Port Authority (Port Tampa) 
MIAMI (Port Miami) 
 

Contractors Seeking Work

  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, is working with the full range of federal, state and local partners in response to Hurricane Helene and the restoration work that will be required in its aftermath.
  • Businesses and individual contractors interested in doing business with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should take the first step of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf
  • The SAM.gov solicitation and contract award system is used by the Corps and many, many other federal agencies for publishing solicitations and awarding contracts.  The Corps draws on the pool of SAM.gov registered businesses to award the contracts necessary to accomplish its missions, including post-storm restoration work.
  • Small businesses may be particularly interested in contracting opportunities available through  the Jacksonville District Small Business Program. Information and points of contact may be found at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/SmallBusiness/.
    Subcontracting opportunities usually result through partnerships with larger companies. Firms interested in pursuing such possibilities can find information from the U.S. Small Business Association at https://www.sba.gov.

Costal Shore Protection Projects (Beach Renourishment)

  • Coastal engineers will begin inspecting USACE Coastal Storm Risk Management projects on the east and west coast of Florida beginning September 30. Inspection teams will survey the projects and assess if there is any damage or if changes to the project plans are necessary after the storm.
  • The beach projects are specifically designed to help protect infrastructure from storms like Hurricane Helene. We expect to see erosion on many federal project sites and believe that without those projects we would have seen much more damage to buildings, roads, and other facilities from this storm.
  • USACE can also inspect non-federal beaches for damage if given a mission assignment to do so by FEMA through the state EOC.

Hurricane Helene Response

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane about 11 p.m. September 26, 2024, near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area. The storm brought 140 mph winds in one of the largest wind fields to ever hit the southeast, rain, storm surges, flooding, and tornadic activity. Landfall occurred just 20 miles from where Hurricane Idalia made landfall last year around this time and caused widespread damage. Helene continues to move inland as a tropical storm across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has teams positioned to provide temporary emergency power, with others prepared to deploy if needed. In addition to temporary emergency power, personnel assist the states with assessments of critical infrastructure including water/wastewater treatment facilities, debris management, and road and bridge inspections as needed. USACE is also providing technical expertise for flood responses. We have activated eight emergency operation centers (EOCs) in the affected regions to coordinate operations.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Jacksonville District (USACE) is coordinating closely with Federal agencies, Tribal, state, and local government officials in responding to Hurricane Helene impacts throughout Florida. USACE conducts its emergency response activities under two basic authorities – Public Law 84-99 (Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies), and when mission assigned by FEMA under the Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance Act. Under Public Law 84-99 (Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies), USACE provides disaster preparedness services and advanced planning measures designed to reduce the amount of damage caused by an impending disaster. Under the Stafford Act, the Corps supports the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency in carrying out the National Response Plan, which calls on 30 federal departments and agencies to provide coordinated disaster relief and recovery operations. USACE serves as the lead agency under FEMA to respond with public works and engineering support and to coordinate long-term infrastructure recovery. Normal USACE disaster recovery missions include debris management, commodities distribution, temporary housing, temporary roofing, emergency power, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue.

This page has both overall and state-specific information and resources related to storm safety, shelter information, news and multimedia products, and rumors and scams.

 

USACE South Florida Operations

Herbert Hoover Dike and Lake Okeechobee:

  • Operations staff inspected the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) in advance of Hurricane Helene and found no areas of concern.
  • HHD is safer today than it has ever been going into a storm.
  • Construction on the dike is 100% complete, all culvert replacements/removals, and cutoff wall construction are done. Its safety rating was raised to DSAC4.
  • USACE will conduct post-storm inspections when weather conditions are safe to do so.
  • USACE will make no pre-storm releases from Lake Okeechobee.
  • The Okeechobee Waterway remained open throughout the storm and continues to operate its normal hours of 7:00am to 5:00pm.

USACE Mission

Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, part of the federal government’s unified national response to disasters and emergencies, sends hundreds of people to respond to disasters around the world. Here at home, USACE assists the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency as the primary agency for public works and engineering-related emergency support. FEMA assigns USACE missions to include: debris management, commodities distribution, temporary housing, temporary roofing, emergency power, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue.

  • USACE uses pre-awarded contracts that can be quickly activated for missions such as debris removal, temporary roofing, commodities distribution, and generator installation.

  • When disasters occur, USACE teams and other resources are mobilized from across the country to assist our local districts and offices to deliver our response missions.

Disasters and Emergencies

Resources for Affected Areas

Recreation Facilities

  • Jacksonville District park rangers will monitor conditions at Corps’ campgrounds and recreation areas.
  • All campgrounds and recreation facilities managed by the Corps of Engineers in Florida are open.
  • If a county government issues an evacuation order for mobile homes or RV parks in an area where there is a Corps’ campground or recreational facility, rangers will order an evacuation of the facility and advise on shelter locations. 
  • Visitors should move all campers, motor homes, tents, vessels, and trailers from facilities under evacuation orders.
  • Campers will receive refunds for any cancelled camping reservations through the reservation system contractor. For more information on refunds, guests can go to www.recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777.
  • Campers should monitor https://www.recreation.gov for reopening information.