FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, September 4, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573) 751-0290
Blunt Continues Rapid Response Efforts for Katrina Victims
JEFFERSON CITY—Gov. Matt Blunt today announced additional actions taken by the state of Missouri to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, including the planned opening of a shelter in St. Louis for up to 2,000 refugees.
Blunt said Kansas City could also be used as a shelter and that the airport in Cape Girardeau could be used as a medical triage center. Blunt signed two executive orders on Friday allowing physicians from Louisiana and Mississippi to treat patients from those states at hospitals and care centers in Missouri.
The state is working with the City of St. Louis and the American Red Cross to open a temporary shelter within the confines of Lambert International Airport. The shelter is expected to be operational by Sept. 8. Blunt said state employees from the Missouri departments of Health and Senior Services, Social Services and Mental Health will be on site to provide assistance. The Red Cross will distribute food, clothing, medicine and housing vouchers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Blunt has dispatched an additional 400 Missouri National Guard personnel to assist in search and rescue efforts. These soldiers join 1,000 of their colleagues who deployed last week to the storm ravaged Gulf Coast.
Here is a recap of the state of Missouri’s response to victims of Hurricane Katrina:
- Activated and dispatched C-130s of the Missouri Air National Guard who are transporting a number of the first responders to immunization facilities
- The Missouri State Water Patrol sent four water security teams (two officers and four boats) to Louisiana
- The Missouri Department of Conservation sent eight water security teams (16 officers and eight boats) to Louisiana
- The Missouri Fire Marshall is calling up Fire Mutual Aid for fire equipment and fire fighters that wish to fight fires in Louisiana
- Over 200 Missouri citizens, organizations and companies have offered assistance through the State Emergency Management (SEMA) operations center. These offers for assistance are being logged and matched against requests for assistance received from the disaster area
- Activated and dispatched Missouri Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue Team from Columbia to assist in the New Orleans metropolitan area
- SEMA, the Missouri National Guard and the Department of Health and Senior Services continue to maintain 24-hour operations to support Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts
Blunt said Missourians who are interested in providing assistance of any kind can contact the state agencies involved in relief and rescue efforts below:
SEMA: Phone: (888) 526-6664
Online: katrinarelief.mo.gov
Department of Health and Senior Services: Phone: (800) 392-0272
Missouri National Guard: Phone: (573) 638-9500
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