As Isaac Moves Inland, Risk of Flash Flooding Increases

FEMA and Federal Partners Mobilizing Resources and Assets Closer to Impacted Areas

WASHINGTON - At the direction of President Barack Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to coordinate the federal government's response and recovery efforts.  Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb briefed President Obama this morning on Hurricane Isaac's landfall and the potential impacts to coastal and inland states. 

Earlier this week, the President authorized emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi making aid available for federal support to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety in designated areas. 

"Residents are urged to continue to listen to the instructions of your local officials,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator. 

"As the storm continues to move inland, there are a number of areas both along the coast and inland that can be affected by strong winds, storm surge and inland flooding and tornadoes.  Residents should monitor NOAA weather radio and local news reports for the latest storm conditions, and, again, follow the direction of local officials."

As Tropical Storm Isaac slowly moves inland, power outages have been reported throughout Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) emergency responders are working side by side with FEMA staff in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as at the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, DC.

Emergency responders facilitate clear and consistent communication with other deployed responders, provide subject matter expertise to help with restoration, and identify where the federal government can possibly engage in restoration efforts. 

Power restoration is already taking place in many areas and the federal government remains ready to assist if requested. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has proactively deployed Emergency Power Teams to Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi to supply the energy needs of critical infrastructure and facilities necessary to continue with life-saving and life-sustaining efforts as needed. 

Also, USACE has deployed commodities, debris, and temporary roofing teams to Louisiana.  USACE teams also have been closely working with the State of Louisiana and Plaquemines Parish to assist in the flood fight of locally owned levees experiencing overtopping from Isaac. 

Teams on the ground are providing technical assistance, such as hydraulic modeling and finding available portable pumps, to reduce flooding. 

According to NOAA National Weather Service, Isaac made initial landfall as a Category 1 hurricane when it passed over the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana last night.

Isaac is beginning to move inland in southeast Louisiana and a dangerous storm surge and flood threat from heavy rains is likely to continue through today and tonight.

In advance of the storm, FEMA has placed four Incident Management Assistance Teams and liaisons onsite at emergency operations centers in Gulf states and has moved two Mobile Emergency Response Support teams and additional commodities to pre-positioned locations closer to the potential impact areas. 

Texas Task Force-1, a federal urban search and rescue team, was deployed to Louisiana.  Other support teams have been identified and are ready to deploy as needed and requested. 

At all times, FEMA maintains commodities including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, to support states if needed and requested. 

FEMA has distribution centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, has prepositioned supplies closer to potentially affected areas. 

Incident support bases have been established in Pineville, Louisiana, in Shelby, Mississippi and in Meridian, Mississippi, allowing the federal government to quickly move supplies throughout nearby affected states, should they be needed and requested.