Four helicopters and 19 soldiers from Iowa are heading south Monday to help with the Hurricane Irma relief effort in Florida.

The Iowa Army National Guard team is made up of soldiers based in Davenport, Waterloo, Iowa City, and Boone. They'll help move supplies and equipment. They're also helping with search and rescue operations. As the storm weakens, first responders can begin searching for any victims.

Eight soldiers will depart from Waterloo Monday morning. Two Chinook helicopters and 11 soldiers will leave from Davenport early Monday afternoon.

The state of Florida requested this support from Iowa under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC. It's an agreement between all 50 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia, to assist one another in times of crisis.