TULSA, Okla. — Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) are sending a Type III Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team with water rescue capabilities to Louisiana for Hurricane Laura response efforts.
READ MORE: Hurricane Laura is expected to grow to a category 4 before making landfall
"I am proud of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management for quickly sending a support team to our neighboring state as they prepare for the impact of Hurricane Laura," said Gov. Stitt.
"We are committed to supporting our neighbor states and providing any resources we have available as Louisiana deals with the effects of Hurricane Laura," said OEM Director Mark Gower.
The 35-person Oklahoma Task Force 1 US&R team includes personnel from Tulsa fire, Tulsa police, Broken Arrow fire, Owasso fire, Sand Springs fire, Verdigris fire and the Grand River Dam Authority, as well as vehicles, boats and equipment.
The US&R team will support the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and local emergency management with search and rescue operations as a result of Hurricane Laura.
A five-person Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Support Team already deployed to Louisiana to help with operations. The EOC team includes personnel from OEM, Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa Fire Department.
OG&E sent a 65 line crew members and support personnel to help with issues caused by Hurricane Laura. The crews left Oklahoma City on Wednesday morning and are heading to Beaumont, Texas to assist Entergy Texas. They should get to the area Wednesday night to help with power outages.
A team of 260 people from PSO are set to leave early Friday morning for Shreveport. The linemen, vegetation crews, and others will bring help to whoever needs it.
The American Red Cross also has people on the ground there with three team members representing from the NE Oklahoma Chapter.
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