Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday signed an executive order authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to give emergency assistance to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

The St. Louis County mobile command post is currently on its way to North Carolina, Walz said. The Minnesota State Patrol and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office have also coordinated teams to help with law enforcement assistance and are waiting to be assigned.

Walz added that the Minnesota Fire Marshal has been working with local fire departments to assemble equipment and personnel to send to North Carolina as needed.

The executive order went into effect Wednesday and will last until National Guard resources are no longer needed, or Nov. 1 — whichever comes first.

“Those recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene are not alone,” Walz said. “Minnesota will be there to support the region however we can. As communities rebuild, I am grateful for the dedication of Minnesota’s first responders in answering the call to travel east to help impacted areas.”

In addition, Xcel Energy is sending more than 100 employees from Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas to help restore power following the storm.

Xcel said that line workers, safety consultants, fleet mechanics and operations leaders will join people from other utilities across the country under the industry’s mutual assistance program. Crews are currently assigned to support local power companies in Georgia to restore power.

“We understand the essential role electricity plays in powering our everyday lives and are committed to supporting our fellow Americans when disaster strikes. The impacts on the electrical system in these areas is extensive and unparalleled for this region, and it will take the contribution of all of our nation’s utilities to restore power to these areas. We are committed to doing our part and know they would do the same for our customers,’’ said Bob Frenzel, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy.

Employees are expected to work out of Augusta, GA, with power restoration efforts expected to last about two weeks.

“I would anticipate they would likely be dispatched into North Carolina where the majority of damage is,” said Todd Connor, the vice president of distribution.

He said about 40 of the 100 workers heading to Georgia are from the northern states region.

“It’s very, very severe being out of power for the number of days they have been now and I would expect the power outages to last for a prolonged period of time,” said Connor, expressing the urgency of the deployment. “Imagine in warm weather, 80 or 90-degree weather, without any power and sometimes without running water. The conditions that the customers have in those regions are very trying.”

Earlier this week, Xcel released 230 contractors to help restore power in the region.

Twin Cities Salvation Army volunteers, meanwhile, are providing meals to people in Florida.

“A lot of them still don’t have power so they’re relying on hot meals from different people that are feeding throughout the community,” said Dorothy Maples, the director of emergency disaster services for Twin Cities Salvation Army. “My team of four has served 1,300 meals in the last two days.”

She is based in Live Oak, Florida where Salvation Army specialists are also providing emotional and spiritual care.

“This [storm] is something that we haven’t seen in a very long time and there’s a lot people that are going to need a  lot of help for a long time,” said Maples.

Kelsey Baeten waded through the water as she returned to her Port Richey home to assess the damage a day after Hurricane Helene hit.

“My home is not salvageable, it is a complete loss,” said Baeten, who said the water rose to five feet during the storm.

She moved to the Sunshine State last year from Cambridge. Three weeks ago, she moved her 7-month-old niece and niece’s mother down to be closer to family ahead of the one-year anniversary of her brother’s death next week.

“It’s just been really emotional,” she said. “They’re really starting from square one in an already tough time.”

They were all home when the water came up quickly on Thursday.

“Within 10 minutes of checking around 10 o’clock p.m., we were like, ‘What is that smell?” Baeten described. “I thought maybe it was the trash so I went to take the trash out and I stepped in water stepping out of my house, it was already up past my knees.”

She said they grabbed the diaper bag and her dog and fled to higher ground.

“We were all just trying to get out of there once we realized how fast water was rushing in,” said Baeten.

They lost everything, including her car, and now need essentials such as diapers, bottles, blankets, and clothes. For now, they’re staying with her dad nearby.

“We’re just thankful to have a place because a lot of people don’t have anything, anywhere to stay,” she said.