PRESS RELEASE

Coordinated LDWF Search and Rescue Missions Concluded Monday At Sunset
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries News Update
BATON ROUGE, La. (September 16, 2008) - Search and rescue (SAR) mission reports filed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) since Sunday have added six more residents from Terrebonne Parish and one from Cameron Parish to waterborne rescue numbers following Hurricane Ike.

As waters receded within parishes affected by Ike’s heavy rains and tidal surge, SAR activities coordinated by LDWF focused Monday on southern Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion parishes and in the Lafitte area within Jefferson Parish. Secondary searches with federal Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams in Calcasieu, Cameron and Terrebonne parishes were also in their final stages.

With the seven additional rescues since 5 p.m. Sunday, SAR units working with LDWF have transported 362 residents to safety since Sept. 12.

Coordinated SAR operations, at the state level, concluded Monday.  LDWF Enforcement Division agents will return to their regional offices and assist local law enforcement as needed with post-hurricane patrols and any additional SAR.

LDWF agents were supplemented in waterborne SAR operations by the resources of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Louisiana National Guard (LANG) and federal USAR teams.  LANG and U.S. Coast Guard flight crews supported the state SAR mission with daily aerial reconnaissance and rescue mission assistance.

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