Coast Guard Battling Hurricane Helene - We’ve Got Their Backs

Even before Hurricane Helene roared ashore in Florida’s Big Bend on Thursday as a Category 4 monster, she spread devastation and threatened lives along the Gulf Coast.

Earlier Thursday a helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, rescued a man and dog from a disabled and sinking 36-foot sailboat 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Florida. The man and his dog were taken to Southwest Florida International Airport to meet with EMS and are reportedly in good health.

Today Coast Guard members in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina are responding to emergencies created by sunken vessels, inundated coastal homes, inland flooding, and potential environmental damage from the Gulf Coast north. They will continue their lifesaving efforts until their mission is complete.

There are more than a thousand Coast Guard members and their families in the storm’s path. The Coast Guard Foundation has activated its emergency disaster relief program for the seventh time this year to assist Coast Guard members and families who have been impacted by natural disasters. Coast Guard members can apply for a grant up to $3,000 to cover personal loss and basic needs.

Our emergency disaster relief program ensures families have the resources needed to bounce back from devastation so Coast Guard members can stay on the job, assisting their communities. 

Title Image: A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater helicopter crew rescued a man and dog from a sinking 36-foot sailboat 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Florida, on Sept. 26, 2024. The man and his dog were taken to Southwest Florida International Airport to meet with EMS and are reportedly in good health. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy of Air Station Clearwater)