Operation Hoosier Relief Provides Status Report

Operation Hoosier Relief
Daily Update – Day 6
September 8, 2005

"Camp Indiana" moved to a new location today, the U.S. Naval Reserve Base in Gulfport, Mississippi, approximately 10-12 miles from the current site. All efforts continue to focus on the Biloxi area.

Mission Assignments:

• Six members of the National Guard participating in Operation Hoosier Relief provided assistance at medical centers.
• Forestry Officers from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cleared 100+ trees near D’Iberville, including clearing trees from an elementary school being used as a shelter. Teams also cleared areas to provide access to utility restoration teams.
• DNR officers in boats performed patrols on waterways and in flooded areas.
Conservation officers on routine patrol apprehended two thieves and turned them over to local authorities. One is accused of trying to steal a boat. The other is accused of trying to steal a motor.
• Indiana State Police officers were assigned to road patrols in Mississippi and escorted fuel tankers into damaged areas.
• Indiana’s medical relief teams worked at a school treating 44 people. A medical team from South Bend will be taking over operation of clinic housed in a church. The team treated 24 people.
• DNR will deploy larger boats to Camp Indiana in the next 48 hours to extend operations into areas not accessible in small watercraft.

Indiana State Government continues to prepare for possible arrival of evacuees in Indiana.

• Indiana has been notified to expect the possible arrival of evacuees in the next 5 days. No timetable or number of evacuees has been established.
• Indiana is currently home to an estimated 1,100 evacuees and has offered to house up to 3,000.

Volunteer Efforts:

• Hoosiers hearts are on full display as efforts continue to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Indiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (INVOAD) has received 8,000 offers of help since the storm struck, 4,000 in the last 24 hours.
• Hoosiers interested in volunteering to help Katrina victims should not self deploy. All volunteers should be coordinated through Indiana’s Emergency Operations Center.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact INVOAD online at www.invoad.org or at (866) 909-4673.