Federal officials say hundreds of emergency responders are in place in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas as Ida lumbers to the northeast. FEMA said more than two thousand of its employees were in position and ready to help. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has power restoration experts and generators at the ready as Hurricane Ida bashes the region. The website PowerOutage reported nearly 100% electricity outages in three coastal Louisiana parishes shortly after Ida came ashore. The Coast Guard prepositioned vessels for deep water search and rescue efforts. Other states also sent teams to help with ground and water rescue. Much of the response began days before Sunday's landfall. President Joe Biden said federal support would remain in the region for "as long as it takes."
APR's Gulf coast correspondents are following this story. Guy Busby and Lynn Oldshue have reported on the ongoing process of recovery from 2020 Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, while the 2021 season threatened this year. Guy and Lynn also helped APR win its 4th national Sigma Delta Chi award. They contributed content for our documentary on the 10th anniversary of the BP Gulf Oil spill. You can click below for their hurricane stories
and the BP doc.
