Updates

Federal Gulf Coast Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010 September 25, 2005 The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with other federal agencies, continues to respond to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Yesterday, President Bush approved major disaster declarations for the states of Texas and Louisiana. The immediate federal priorities are life-saving and life-sustaining operations in support of state and local officials, including distribution of commodities; providing critical communications capabilities; and maintaining hazardous material awareness on re-entry into affected areas. The following actions have been taken: • U.S. Coast Guard units have rescued more than 80 people, while search and rescue patrols and damage surveys continue. • Nearly 700 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue personnel are on the ground in Texas, and more than 500 Urban Search and Rescue personnel are on the ground in Louisiana, including 118 personnel in Lake Charles , Louisiana performing search and rescue missions. These teams are supported by Department of Defense (DOD) heavy-lift helicopters, boats and high-water vehicles. • FEMA has deployed hundreds of trucks of ice and water to Louisiana and Texas. • FEMA Rapid Needs Assessment Teams began aerial assessments of coastal areas in Texas affected by Hurricane Rita. Three teams of environmental personnel from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, and the Texas General Land Office are also currently conducting assessments. • More than 49,000 Active Duty and National Guard personnel are on the ground or aboard ship supporting relief operations. • DOD evacuated more than 3,000 people, including 1,200 medical patients and 1,300 ambulatory/elderly evacuees, from Houston and Beaumont, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana to 9 locations in 8 States. • DOD’s aviation support in the affected area includes 88 helicopters. Air Force and Army personnel provided fuel to approximately 100 buses evacuating civilians from Beaumont, Texas. Air National Guard fueled an additional 260 buses in Beaumont and Houston, Texas. • The USS Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group is proceeding to a position southeast of Port Arthur, Louisiana to continue damage assessments and search and rescue missions as needed. • The National Interagency Fire Center, comprised of specialists from eight federal and state agencies who routinely work together in responding to disaster and wildfire emergencies, is pre-positioning Incident Management Teams in areas affected by Hurricane Rita and mobilizing additional teams to respond as needed in support of first responders. For more information on emergency preparedness, please visit www.ready.gov or www.fema.gov.