September 7, 2005
As recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina enter their second week, search and rescue canines trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation continue to be a vital resource in the operations.
Dogs assigned to the FEMA California Task Forces are being moved from Texas to locations along the Gulf Coast, including New Orleans, Biloxi, Miss., and Gulfport, Miss. Along with their handlers, they will search for victims of the most destructive natural disaster in American history. Their most important task is to ensure that no living victims remain within the disaster zone as crews begin the work of recovering the dead as well as restoring order.
Many of the search and rescue teams making their way to the Gulf Coast were on scene at 9/11.
The teams deployed in the last few days will replace those that have been in the area since the start of Katrina, experiencing days of grueling work. California Task Forces 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8 are all heading to New Orleans, where the arduous task of door-to-door searching is underway.