(AP) — Members of the Pennsylvania State Police will join the Shapiro Administration’s support of ongoing response efforts in southern states impacted by hurricanes, Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris announced.

PSP will deploy 54 troopers and two civilian support staff to Florida, at the request of state authorities there, to assist law enforcement in relief efforts following Hurricane Milton. These efforts will include missions relating to life-safety and distribution of critical resources in the areas impacted. The deployment is scheduled to last two weeks but may be extended or shortened depending on the operational need. It is the first out-of-state deployment of PSP troopers for a natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey and New York in 2012.

“Today, we are proud to announce the deployment of Pennsylvania State Troopers to assist the residents of Florida in the aftermath of this hurricane,” said Colonel Paris. “Our commitment to public safety and service knows no borders, and we stand ready to provide support in this time of need.”

“When communities are devastated by natural disasters, the ability to quickly deploy needed resources to the disaster is a critical component of interstate mutual aid,” said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield. “This deployment of Pennsylvania resources was facilitated through the nationwide Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to rapidly share critical resources when and where they’re needed most, while operating under the leadership and direction of the requesting states.”

EMAC is a formal agreement that allows states to share resources, such as personnel or equipment, during disasters. EMAC was created to serve as an all-hazards national mutual aid system and has been ratified by the U.S. Congress with participation from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. All costs associated with the deployment are paid by the requesting state.

The Shapiro Administration previously announced deployments to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The deployments included four members of the Pennsylvania Incident Management Team (PA-IMT), eight members of the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (PA-HART), and 45 members and support personnel from Pennsylvania-Task Force 1 (PA-TF1), a team of structural engineers, rescue specialists, doctors, canines and handlers, and hazardous materials specialists. Additionally, 11 members of the Fatality Search and Recovery Team (FSRT) and two members of the Unit Ministry Team (UMT) mobilized to North Carolina in support of the relief effort. The PA-IMT deployed to North Carolina does include four members of PSP.