BATON ROUGE (October 7, 2024) – The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) continues to support states impacted by
Hurricane Helene and preparing for Hurricane Milton. Nearly 100 personnel have been
deployed to North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia after Hurricane Helene
devastated the region. Another 77 personnel are being deployed to Florida as
Hurricane Milton treks east across the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana emergency
management and response teams are often key for these types of out-of-state missions
due to experience, training and record of performance when deployed. The support
ranges from search and rescue teams and support for law enforcement to emergency
operations center specialists and debris management experts.
Governor Jeff Landry said, “Louisiana knows firsthand the pain and destruction that
comes with natural disasters. We will always step up and provide state to state support
to our neighbors across the Southeast who are suffering. Louisiana has benefitted
tremendously from this type of support in the past, and it is important for us to now
answer the call to help others.”
The support is coordinated through GOHSEP after requests are entered via the
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC offers assistance during
governor-declared states of emergency or disaster through a responsive,
straightforward system that allows states to send personnel, equipment, and
commodities to assist with response and recovery efforts in other states.
“The EMAC process allows states to respond and help another state when they need it
most,” said GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux. “When you face a natural disaster
like these hurricanes, the response and recovery can be extremely difficult. The teams
deployed from Louisiana include a combination of local and state personnel and roughly
400 pallets of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) for Georgia. We will continue to monitor
requests from our neighbors and help with any available resources. I salute the men
and women who are working in the impacted regions.”
Director Thibodeaux adds the work helping our neighbors will not impact the ongoing
recovery efforts in Louisiana following Hurricane Francine.
The state continues to closely monitor Hurricane Milton expected to impact Florida later
this week.
State Climatologist Jay Grymes said, “Watching Milton intensify from a Category 1
hurricane to a Category 5 system in one day is remarkable. This will be Florida’s third
landfall of the 2024 season and the second major hurricane to impact the state. Milton
will not be an issue for Louisiana, but it proves why it is so important for everyone along
the Gulf Coast to remain prepared. Please keep in mind, hurricane season does not end
until November 30th, so stay weather aware and prepared.”
Download the revamped Get A Game Plan App for more information on Louisiana’s
emergency management efforts. Please follow GOHSEP’s social media accounts on
Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn. The GOHSEP Get A Game Plan
Podcast is another resource available to help you and your family prepare for any type
emergency. You can download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find
other preparedness information at http://www.getagameplan.org.
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