Louisiana Wing aircrews generated 7,586 high-resolution orthomosaic images during their four-day response to Hurricane Francine following landfall Sept. 11.
The wing’s aerial photography efforts focused on 11 of the hardest-hit areas —Belle River, Pierre Part, Paincourtville, Plattenville, Donaldsonville, Gonzales, east and west Denham Springs, Walker, Baton Rouge, and Big Branch Marsh.
Francine hit Southwest Louisiana as a category 2 storm, bringing heavy rain, flooding, and widespread power failure affecting over a quarter-million customers. The Federal Emergency Management agency called on the Louisiana Wing the next day.
In coordination with FEMA and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, the wing dispatched aircraft to heavily impacted areas to conduct aerial reconnaissance to assess damage.
Altogether, Civil Air Patrol aircraft flew 129 square miles gathering critical photo information for FEMA and GOHSEP to use in planning recovery efforts.
Maj. Mike Giroir, the wing’s director of transportation, was sent to lower Lafourche, Terrebonne, and St. John parishes to capture drone footage of hurricane damage in cooperation with the American Red Cross in Louisiana.
During such situations, “our pilots and other volunteers know what to do, they have completed their training, and when a hurricane heads our way, we’ve got a plan,” said Col. Mike DuBois, Louisiana Wing director of emergency services training._____Capt. Anne CalvertPublic Affairs OfficerLouisiana Wing
