Coast Guard on Hand For Relief

The Coast Guard’s air and sea units are at various locations throughout coastal Louisiana and Texas ready to respond to any damaged areas affected by Hurricane Lili. Coast Guard personnel and resources have been pre-positioned outside of the affected areas to facilitate a quick response. After the storm passes, Coast Guard aircraft will be patrolling the storm’s course to locate any mariners in distress. They will be on the lookout for people stranded by coastal flooding or storm damage in urban areas. Overflights of oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico for initial damage assessment are also planned. The Captains of the Port of Morgan City, La., and Port Arthur, Texas, have closed the ports and waterways from Houma, La., to Port Arthur. They will remain closed until Coast Guard units can ensure safe vessel passage and assess any environmental pollution or damage to waterways. The Coast Guard is often one of the first agencies to go into affected areas due to our flood response capabilities and air assets. Our personnel are working closely with Louisiana and Texas state emergency officials and various emergency response agencies to respond to any storm damage or distress.