President Announces Emergency Declaration for Louisiana
Release Date: September 11, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-208
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Ike
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The President today announced an emergency declaration for the state of Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Ike beginning on September 7, 2008, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermilion.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
FEMA Administrator David Paulison named Michael J. Hall the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 12-Sep-2008 08:09:08