DeSantis launched Operation Blue Ridge, which will fly Florida residents stranded in North Carolina by the hurricane to safety. Rescuers in Florida can use boats instead of vehicles to help residents, but the area it by the storm is several hundred miles away from any coastline.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida has what it needs to clean up after Hurricane Helene and that the federal government should instead focus relief efforts on North Carolina, where search and rescue missions continue following catastrophic flooding.