News Release 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2005
Contact: DEA Public Affairs
Number: 202-307-7977

Hurricane Katrina Contact Information

Washington, D.C.-In light of damage sustained to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Orleans, Louisiana and Gulfport, Mississippi offices, all operational assets for the DEA’s New Orleans Division are now being based out of the Baton Rouge DEA office until further notice.

Any media related inquiries for the DEA’s New Orleans Division should at this time be directed to DEA Headquarters Public Affairs.

Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall last Monday, agents from the DEA have been providing assistance to State and local law enforcement. At this time, a total of 113 Special Agents and Pilots have been deployed to provide law enforcement and rescue/humanitarian assistance to 13 law enforcement agencies in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Of the above 113 Special Agents:

• 59 are deployed assisting state and local law enforcement.
• 34 are assisting in rescue and humanitarian operations. These 34 agents are involved in establishing mobile command posts, getting food, water and supplies to law enforcement and employees, establishing and manning communications systems, assessing DEA office and property damage, helping law enforcement get equipment and supplies which are needed for everyday patrols. These DEA teams recently helped to rescue 30 senior citizens who were stranded in a home for the elderly.
• Two Mobile Enforcement Teams (MET) consisting of 16 agents (from Houston and Atlanta) have been deployed to New Orleans to assist the Police Department with law enforcement operations and patrol duties.
• In addition, four Special Agents from the DEA’s Regional Enforcement Team (RET) in Charlotte, along with two technical specialists, have been deployed to Baton Rouge to provide law enforcement assistance.

Currently, five DEA helicopters are stationed in the New Orleans area to assist with law enforcement and rescue operations.

DEA is also working with Texas and Arkansas pharmacy boards to provide assistance with emergency prescription refill procedures in response to requests from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents.

DEA division offices throughout the South and Midwest have provided assistance in the form of equipment, power generators and manpower. All such assistance is being funneled into affected areas using DEA aircraft operating out of the DEA Aviation Unit in Fort Worth, TX.