La. Aircrews Produce Damage Assessment Photos After Barry

Lt. Col. Amos A. Plante
Chief of Staff
Louisiana Wing

Louisiana Wing aircrews have generated an estimated 1,500 damage assessment photos for state and federal emergency management agencies’ use after first taking to the air Sunday immediately after the passage of Tropical Storm Barry.

The photos will help disaster response managers like the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency make immediate assessments of flood impacts so they can mitigate damage and direct recovery efforts in the most efficient manner.

Aircrews focused on taking photos of key structures in the greater New Orleans area and of flood-prone areas along the Gulf Coast.

The wing’s actions after Barry are being directed by its incident commander, Col. Art Scarbrough.

“In the case of Tropical Storm Barry, we are serving as our customer’s eyes by providing high-resolution aerial and ground-based images to help identify points where lives and property are in greatest jeopardy,” Scarbrough said.