[StBernard] FACT SHEET: Louisiana's Response to Hurricane Rita

[Westley Annis]

FACT SHEET: Louisiana's Response to Hurricane Rita

.	On Tuesday, September 20, 2005, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
declared a State of Emergency for the State of Louisiana in preparation for
Hurricane Rita.  

o	Governor Blanco has also requested that President Bush expedite
Louisiana's request for a major disaster declaration due to Hurricane Rita.


.	As of 9:00 am today, 44 parishes have declared States of Emergency
due to Hurricane Rita.
	
o	These parishes include: Vermillion, Jefferson Davis, Tensas,
Lafayette, Cameron, St James, Iberia, Sabine, Calcasieu, Vernon,
Natchitoches, St. Mary, Caddo, Bossier, Ouachita, Jefferson, Acadia, Allen,
East Baton Rouge, Franklin, St. Landry, Tangipahoa, Rapides, Livingston,
Allen, Terrebonne, Evangeline, Beauregard, Richland, West Baton Rouge,
Plaquemines, Winn, Morehouse, Avoyelles, Iberville, Concordia, East Carroll,
West Feliciana, Union, West Carroll, Pointe Coupee, Jackson, Madison and Red
River.

.	The Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
and the National Guard will begin preliminary disaster assessments later
today.  
 
.	Calcasieu Parish OEP officials have advised Calcasieu residents NOT
to return to their homes until at least Monday, September 26, 2005.

.	All State Police commissioned officers are on standby status with
days off suspended.


.	Troops
o	To date, there are 16,000* National Guard troops in Louisiana ready
to respond.
.	Of these, the National Guard has dedicated 4,000 troops to Task
Force Rita.
             *Troops have been rotating in and out of Louisiana.  The
previously reported number has been revised. 
 
o	In addition to the current troops on the ground, Governor Blanco has
requested up to: 
	15,000 National Guard troops deploy to Louisiana and 
	15,000 Federal troops be prepared to deploy to Louisiana

.	Provisions
o	100 trucks of MREs
o	150 trucks of ice
o	200 trucks of water


.	Buses
o	821 buses, coordinated through state efforts, are currently on stand
by near the affected areas.

o	An additional 160 buses, coordinated through state efforts, are on
stand by in Alexandria, which is a central staging area.

o	450 buses have been requested for Southwest and Southeast Louisiana
to transport additional evacuees.

.	Boats
o	135 boats and 135 personnel are staged and ready to go into the
rescue area Saturday morning.

o	110 additional boats and 123 additional personnel are ready to
follow the initial wave as needed.  

.	Evacuations
o	More than 2,200 inmates from the Southwest Louisiana area are being
evacuated to other state and local facilities in Louisiana.

o	Preliminary reports* indicate as of 4:00 pm Friday, the following
hospital evacuations had taken place:
o	56 patients from hospitals in the Morgan City area

o	574 patients from hospitals in the Lafayette area

o	537 patients from hospitals in the Lake Charles area 

o	Hospitals and staff in the affected areas stand ready to respond to
the medical needs of their communities before, during and after Hurricane
Rita's landfall.
*Per Louisiana Hospital Association

.	Shelters
o	Louisiana Shelters: To date, there are more than 47,000 evacuees in
more than 300 shelters in Louisiana.

o	Out of State Shelters: To date, there are more than 31,000 evacuees
in more than 350 shelters throughout the United States.  

.	State Office Closures
o	State offices in 44 parishes have been closed in preparation for
Hurricane Rita.

o	These parishes include: Ascension, Avoyelles, DeSoto, East Baton
Rouge, Grant, Pointe Coupee, Red River, West Baton Rouge, Jefferson,
Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John,
Assumption, Evangeline, Iberville, Lafourche, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine,
St. Landry, Terrebonne, Vernon, Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu,
Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lower St. Martin, Upper St.
Martin, St. Mary, Vermilion, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, St.
Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington and West Feliciana 

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