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TSA Responds to Gustav

News & Happenings

September 1, 2008

Photo of the projected path of Tropical Storm Gustav through the Caribbean
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Just as TSA took action to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Gustav, the workforce - who evacuated yesterday after screening nearly 33,000 residents in 48 hours - is now preparing to return to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to resume operations once the airport is reopen.

The team of 533 individuals, who started arriving in New Orleans Thursday, were flown to Dallas after the last flight of evacuees were screened. Many of those team members, along with New Orleans-based TSA employees, are awaiting the “all clear” and prepared to reopen the airport.

During the evacuation efforts, the team, comprised of officers, federal air marshals and management staff from nearly 40 airports across the country, operated the airport’s four checkpoints. They also conducted screening operations for evacuees at a special, six-lane checkpoint that was specially created to support evacuation operations.

The deployment of these special teams allowed New Orleans-based TSA staff to focus on preparing their families and homes for the storm.

TSA would like to thank all the partners who helped make the air evacuations a success, including, but not limited to, the New Orleans airport authority, DOD/TRANSCOM, FAA, FEMA, Jefferson Parish Sherriff’s Department, air carriers operating out of New Orleans and those airports who received the evacuees.

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Photo of St. Louis-based TSA officers and staff receive an operations briefing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The St. Louis employees were deployed to the Gulf Coast in advance of Gustav. Photo of St. Louis-based TSA officers and staff receive an operations briefing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The St. Louis employees were deployed to the Gulf Coast in advance of Gustav. Photo of St. Louis-based TSA officers and staff receive an operations briefing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The St. Louis employees were deployed to the Gulf Coast in advance of Gustav. A supervisory transportation security officer from Newark works at the checkpoint to Concourse C at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Transportation security officers from Newark and Spokane work at the checkpoint to Concourse C at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Passengers wait to depart from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in advance of Hurricane Gustav. A TSO from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport checks travel documents at a New Orleans checkpoint TSA Employees en route to help with hurricane efforts. Local residents who are evacuating by charter air flights are being screened at a special hurricane evacuation facility checkpoint. Local residents who are evacuating by charter air flights are being screened at a special hurricane evacuation facility checkpoint.

Photos of TSA operations at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

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