As Tropical Depression Isaac moves inland, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Coast Guard continue to support our state and local partners through ongoing response and recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast and impacted areas.

At the direction of President Obama, Secretary Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Fugate and other federal officials have spoken with state, local, and tribal leaders to identify and respond to needs.  In addition, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard are contributing to the response and recovery efforts through direct coordination with state and local teams operating on the ground in affected areas. These agencies are providing key assistance to those impacted by Tropical Depression Isaac.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA and its federal partners, through the FEMA National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., and Regional Offices in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas, continue to monitor Tropical Depression Isaac and remain in constant contact with state emergency management partners in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

• Federal Coordinating Officers are on the ground in Mississippi and Louisiana, working closely with state and local officials to provide the full resources of the federal government to support response efforts to protect lives and property.
• FEMA, in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, deployed four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Fort Campbell, KY and two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters from Norfolk Naval Air Station, VA, to assist in search and rescue efforts. A Search and Rescue planner has also been activated and deployed to the Baton Rouge Emergency Operations Center.
• Incident Management Assistance Teams are in state emergency operations centers in Mississippi and Louisiana, in addition to supporting state and local needs in Plaquemines Parish, La.
• Six Mobile Emergency Response Teams are deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi to support state emergency communications requirements.
• Disability Integration Advisors are deployed to areas along the Gulf Coast, in order to assist individuals with disabilities in impacted areas.
• Four Emergency Planners Liaison Officers from U.S. Northern Command were deployed to the National Response Coordination Center in support of FEMA and Fort Polk, LA has been designated as a Federal Team Staging Area. The command has activated Region VI Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO), and Defense Coordinating Element (DCE) to Baton Rouge, LA, to validate, plan and coordinate potential DOD support of FEMA's hurricane response operations and to facilitate DOD's support of potential life-saving and response operations.
• FEMA's Private Sector Representative in the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) in Washington, D.C. continues to engage National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) members requesting store open/closed status from impacted areas.

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is continuing reconstitution and recovery efforts, and is rapidly assessing impacts to the maritime transportation system in order to restore flow of commerce through the ports and the Mississippi River. The Coast Guard continues to communicate with federal, state and local authorities to identify personnel and resources to respond to calls for assistance.

• Seven U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and one fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft are conducting search and rescue operations, port assessments and off shore patrols in the Gulf of Mexico.
• The Coast Guard has responded to a variety of stranded persons in all of the parishes affected by the storm. As of (Aug. 30, 1800) 17 people and 2 pets have been rescued.
• U.S. Coast Guard cutters are en route to New Orleans to deliver food and water to affected persons.
• U.S. Coast Guard Disaster Response Teams, damage assessment teams and waterway assessment personnel are pre-staged and ready to respond.
• The Coast Guard has liaisons embedded at various emergency operations centers including the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to ensure a coordinated effort as all of us focus on life saving and to effect a rapid recovery of impacted areas. 
• The Coast Guard has moved assets (boats, cutters, and aircraft) out of the path of the storm in order to ensure they are properly prepared to respond at the first sign of the storm’s passing.

DHS and FEMA continue to urge residents in affected areas to monitor local weather forecasts and to follow the guidance and direction of state and local officials. For more information on what to do during or after severe weather, visit ready.gov and follow @Readydotgov on Twitter. For continuing updates on federal response efforts as well as safety tips, visit fema.gov and follow @FEMA and @DHSgov on Twitter.