La. Guard concludes Hurricane Francine response

By Capt. Peter Drasutis, Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office

NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard, activated at Gov. Jeff Landry’s direction, has successfully concluded its response to Hurricane Francine. More than 2,500 Guardsmen supported various operations, including logistical and engineering support, public safety and security and emergency management, ensuring the safety and recovery of affected communities.

Activations began on Sept. 9, 2024, and since then, the LANG conducted missions across 14 parishes in response to Francine. Guardsmen mobilized and deployed to assist in a range of operations, providing vital support to communities in need.

The LANG had 379 high-water vehicles and 87 boats strategically positioned across Louisiana, fully equipped and ready to support evacuation, search and rescue (SAR) and reconnaissance operations. In addition, the LANG led a joint aviation effort from multiple agencies, ensuring a robust capability to respond to SAR needs if required.

The Guard pre-staged 14 route clearance teams across 7 parishes to assist with debris removal and clearing of roads following the storm, successfully conducting 57 miles of route clearance operations.

In order to provide logistical support to citizens following the storm, Guardsmen distributed 332,965 liters of water; 36,188 bags of ice; 283,369 MREs; 112,000 sandbags and 6,811 tarps across the affected communities.