FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 6, 2005

State Wildlife Agency Playing Large Role in Hurricane Relief

JACKSON - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) is actively involved in the coordination of relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, according to MDWFP officials.

Along with airboats, motor boats, four wheel drive trucks, four wheelers, tanker trucks, and other equipment, conservation officers from the MDWFP have been playing a large role since relief efforts began.

"We are rotating 50 MDWFP officers every five days, and operating out of a command center at Lyman Fish Hatchery near Gulfport," Chief of Law Enforcement Col. John Collins said.

Collins says the Department will soon utilize Paul B. Johnson State Park as another base camp.

The Department is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) in a number of ways.

According to Collins, MDWFP coordinates mission statements from FEMA and MEMA to its field personnel regarding different mission objectives including traffic control, crowd control, looting, and search and recovery.

Other agencies working with MDWFP are Fish and Wildlife agencies from Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, and Missouri, with other states such as Kentucky and Virginia offering to help as well.

"Our new satellite communications system has allowed us to communicate with FEMA, MEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard and other military branches simultaneously," Collins said.

"The situation on the coast is grave," Collins said. "Progress is still being made, and only time will tell the extent of the casualties caused by Katrina."
 

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