Hurricane Fiona caused significant damage to Puerto Rico as it passed through the Commonwealth. In response the Governor of Puerto Rico, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, activated the National Guard to assist in rescue & recovery operations throughout the island. Multiple units were activated such as the 125th Military Police Battalion and the 65th Infantry. Now we have also been informed the Puerto Rico State Guard (State Defense Force) was activated as well. Half a dozen State Guardsmen were activated to work a communication support mission at the main Task Force facility. Currently no other missions have been assigned to the State Guard yet. Once we receive additional details as well as photos & videos from the mission we will post them on StateDefenseForce.com.

The information was provided by the Puerto Rico Nationa Guard Public Affairs Office.

Here is an article regarding the Puerto Rico National Guard activation on the US Army website:

Puerto Rico National Guard rescues Hurricane Fiona victims

By Puerto Rico National GuardSeptember 19, 2022

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Puerto Rico National Guard rescued dozens of people threatened by Hurricane Fiona, which knocked out power to the entire island and caused severe flooding.

 

Monday in Cayey, the Guard’s 65th Infantry rescued 21 elderly and bedridden people at an elderly home due to landslides that were threatening the home’s structure and residents’ safety. Also Monday, the 296th Infantry in Mayagüez rescued 59 people from a flooded community, including two bedridden elderly people. Thirteen pets were also rescued.

 

Over the weekend, Guard members with the 125th Military Police Battalion rescued a man in Ponce who was swept away by a flash flood when he apparently went out to try to get gasoline. He was clinging to a concrete post near Mercedita Airport in southern Puerto Rico, where floodwaters were as high as 6 feet. Guard personnel also rescued people in Salinas, Cayey, Toa Baja and Añasco, among other municipalities.

 

Guard members also rescued people in Salinas, Toa Baja, and Añasco, among other municipalities.

 

Heavy rain continued to fall in the wake of the hurricane Monday and will “produce life-threatening and catastrophic flooding along with mudslides and landslides across Puerto Rico,” a National Hurricane Center advisory warned.

 

The center forecast an additional 4 to 8 inches of rain in southern Puerto Rico Monday, with a local maximum of 15 inches. Total rainfall from the storm was projected to be 12 to 20 inches, with over 30 inches in some areas. Northern Puerto Rico was expected to get an additional 1 to 4 inches of rain Monday, with as much as 6 inches in some locations.

 

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi activated the Guard as the hurricane approached the island.

 

The Puerto Rico National Guard began prepositioning Soldiers and heavy equipment at nine points across the island Friday to address emergencies and clear roads as necessary. Hurricane-force winds struck southwest Puerto Rico over the weekend. Fiona then headed for the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.

 

A tropical storm warning was in effect Monday morning for Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra.

Source: Puerto Rico State Public Affairs Officer JFHQ-Puerto Rico National Guard – US Army