E-mail from Governor Schwarzenegger

This is the email that I received in response to my request that the Gov call up the National Guard and offer its services to Louisiana and Mississippi.

See below.

Thank you for emailing Governor Schwarzenegger in regards to Hurricane Katrina.   Californians are all too familiar with the devastation that follows a natural disaster and our thoughts remain with those who have been affected by this storm.  

Naturally, the people of California want to offer aid where the need is most critical.  As a result, the State is sending both Urban Search and Rescue Personnel and Swift Water Rescue Personnel to aid in recovery.  California has also offered to accommodate over 1,000 displaced individuals from the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Governor Schwarzenegger is in contact with the governors of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana to offer any assistance needed in the relief effort.  The Office of Emergency Services (OES) has been working since the beginning of this disaster to organize personnel to provide assistance to the millions of residents affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Thus far, more than 900 California aid workers are already in place in Louisiana and Mississippi and have rescued more than 393 adults and 75 children from hurricane ravaged neighborhoods.  In order to coordinate California's resource deployment to the Gulf Coast, OES has activated its State Operations Center in Sacramento and Regional Operations centers in Oakland and Los Alamitos.

In addition to the 900 aid workers already providing disaster relief to victims, a team of incident commanders and a mobile communications unit were deployed to provide badly needed communications support to officials working in the devastated region.

The Governor has also ordered the National Guard to call into Active State Service the forces that are needed to respond to this emergency.  In addition to the 500 National Guardsmen who have been deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi, 300 additional troops are to be deployed to help local law enforcement and other agencies with relief efforts, including attempts to rescue residents, restore infrastructure and maintain public order.  

In response to a request from the Louisiana State Police, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will deploy a tactical team and other resources to Louisiana.  The Los Angeles Sheriff's Office has also committed rotary wing aircraft to aid in the CHP's effort.

California's Employment Development Department, in partnership with the State of Texas, will manage Unemployment Insurance claims processing for the State of Louisiana so that the unemployed can immediately begin receiving benefits.  In addition, California's Higher Education system has reached out to students impacted by the Hurricane, with California State Universities offering impacted students admission to seven campuses with space availability.  The entire system has offered admission to impacted students, campus-by-campus, based on availability.  The University of California has offered its significant resources in medicine and other areas to assist in the response and recovery effort.

If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation please contact your local American Red Cross.  You can do this by visiting: www.redcross.org or call 1-800-Help-Now.  For information about shelters you may call 1-866-Get-Info.  If you are in search of a family member or you know of a trapped victim please contact the United States Coast Guard at 1-800-323-7233.  For updated information concerning California's contribution to the relief efforts please visit: http://www.oes.ca.gov/. This site will also provide you with more information on how you and other Californians can lend your support.

Again, thank you for your email.  

Sincerely,

Office of Constituent Affairs