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News | Sept. 7, 2016

Distributions Expeditionary team provides support to Louisiana flood victims

By Brianne M. Bender DLA Distribution Public Affairs

In an effort to support humanitarian efforts in the wake of the overwhelming flooding in Louisiana, DLA Distribution’s Expeditionary team, Distributions 25th distribution center, has deployed to operate the Incident Support Base in support of FEMA Region IV Defense Support to Civil Authorities at Maxwell Air Force Base located in Montgomery, Ala.

The Expeditionary team, led by John Heikkinen from Distribution headquarters, and Jason Middleton from DLA Distribution San Joaquin, Calif., sent 16 members from DLA Distribution Red River, Texas, and two information operations employees from DLA Distribution Warner Robins, Ga., to manage the dispatching of the supplies to the residents of Louisiana’s 20 parishes that were designated as federal disaster areas in the aftermath of the floods.

There are 110 trailers filled with food, water, generators, medical supplies, baby formula and toddler kits staged on the air field at Maxwell AFB. The team is currently preparing the sight for retrograde operations.

“This is how we show our commitment to interagency partners,” explained DLA Distribution commander Army Brig. Gen. John S. Laskodi. “We are on the ground, right away, ready to support.”

Louisiana's governor, John Bel Edwards, called the disaster caused by prolonged rainfall in the southern parts of the state a "historic, unprecedented flooding event" and declared a state of emergency. Because of the large number of homeowners without flood insurance that were affected, the federal government is providing disaster aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The flood has been called the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.