Group of state employees return home after helping with Helene recovery

Hundreds of New York state and local government employees were deployed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery.

A team of 16 swift water rescue personnel just returned home after two weeks in North Carolina.
The team from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control, New York State Police and forest rangers spent the last two weeks in Yancey County.

They started as a water rescue team, but also carried people to safety on land and cleared the way so people could use what was left of roads.

Hear about what it was like by watching the video.