PRESS RELEASE

LDWF Search and Rescue Missions Nearing Conclusion
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries News Update
BATON ROUGE, La. (September 15, 2008) - Search and rescue (SAR) activities coordinated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) are winding down as waters recede within parishes affected by Hurricane Ike’s heavy rain and tidal surge.

Sunday’s SAR missions focused on Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson, Plaquemines, Vermilion and Terrebonne parishes.  Twenty two residents were brought to safety in Terrebonne, 16 in Vermilion and three in Plaquemines.  With the 41 rescues today, SAR units have transported 355 residents to safety since Sept. 12.

LDWF Enforcement Division agents were supplemented by the efforts of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Louisiana National Guard (LANG), U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams.  LANG flight crews continue to support the state SAR mission with daily aerial reconnaissance.

Today SAR crews in Vermilion Parish swept the area from Intercoastal City to Forked Island and from Forked Island through Sweet Lake, Hackberry, Grand Bayou and Cameron.  Additional missions were launched north of Calcasieu Lake to work flooded areas from Westlake, Vinton, Sulphur and the Hackberry area. In southeast Louisiana, SAR crews worked from Lafitte and to Pointe a la Hache.

SAR missions on Monday will include secondary searches with USAR teams in Calcasieu, Cameron and Terrebonne parishes.

###