LDWF Enforcement Division agents have rescued more than 20,000 people in southeastern Louisiana who were left stranded in high water by Hurricane Katrina, which struck the gulf coast on Aug. 29.

The department received the assistance of groups from Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland and Oklahoma and other state and federal agencies in water rescue. The U.S. Coast Guard and Louisiana Air National Guard also actively engaged in search and rescue missions.

LDWF would like to thank the more than 1,000 individuals and groups from across the country that called in to pledge their support in the rescue effort, and the media that spread the message of our need for volunteer boaters.