As of this morning, the National Guard has activated more than 5,200 personnel in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama in response to Hurricane Ida, the Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations said.
Army Maj. Gen. William D. "Hank" Taylor spoke on this and other topics at a press briefing this morning.
The majority of those National Guard troops — 5,009 — are in Louisiana, according to Army Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a Pentagon press officer. There are currently 150 in Mississippi, 100 in Texas and 40 in Alabama.
The National Guard brings to the region a variety of assets, including high-water vehicles, rotary lift capacity and other transportation support, Taylor said.
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers is operational in New Orleans, and is assessing the storm’s impact, he said, adding that the Defense Department stands ready to assist, if requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Coast Guard assets have also been deployed to the region and aircrews conducted overflights to assess damage and identify hazards.
Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm, came ashore in Louisiana yesterday, causing a significant amount of flooding and power loss. As of 11a.m. EDT, the National Hurricane Center was listing it as a tropical storm located near Jackson, Mississippi.