President vows massive aid to storm-hit area

Massive effort
The scope of the effort cut across the government:

• The Transportation Department dispatched more than 400 trucks to move 5.4 million MREs, or ready-to-eat meals; 13.4 million liters of water; 10,400 tarps; 4,900 rolls of plastic sheeting; 3.4 million pounds of ice; 10 mobile homes; 144 generators; 20 containers of disaster supplies; 135,000 blankets; 11,000 cots; 200 tables; 450 chairs; 1 all-terrain vehicle; 19 forklifts and three 100-person and nine 50-person field office kits to flood damaged areas for FEMA.
• Eighteen Urban Search and Rescue task forces and two Incident Support Teams have been deployed and prepositioned in Shreveport, La., and Jackson, Miss., including teams from Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. An additional eight swift water rescue teams have been deployed, FEMA said.
• The number of people rescued or assisted by the Coast Guard climbed to 1,250.
• The Defense Department's Transportation Command was flying eight swift-water rescue teams from California to Lafayette, La.
• These teams will provide approximately 14 highly trained personnel with vehicles and small rigid-hulled boats capable of rescuing stranded citizens from flooded areas.
• USS Bataan sailed to the waters off Louisiana to provide support. Four helicopters from the Bataan were flying medical evacuation and search and rescue missions in Louisiana. Bataan's hospital may also be used for medical support.
• The hospital ship USNS Comfort was leaving Baltimore to bring medical assistance capabilities to the Gulf region, and should arrive in seven days.
• The Health and Human Services Department said 250 mobile hospital beds and associated equipment have arrived at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Thirty-eight Public Health Service officers are at the facility and along with disaster medical assistance teams and State health care professionals.

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