CBP New Orleans office to participate in Hurricane Florence relief

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations and the New Orleans Air and Marine Branch recently announced they would be participating in Hurricane Florence relief efforts in the Carolinas.

They will be joined by the Jacksonville office and will support the Atlanta office. Duties include assisting local first responders with search and rescue operations, emergency response, law enforcement, and tactical communication support.

“As a partner in the community and due to its strategic location along the Central Gulf of Mexico, the New Orleans Field Office is aware of and prepares for natural disasters such as hurricanes,” Steven Stavinoha, New Orleans director of field operations, said. “The resilience of CBP personnel along the Gulf Coast is exemplified in their unwavering dedication to volunteer and assist with emergency responses and business resumption activities during times of national crisis, such as Hurricane Florence.”

Hurricane Florence has been downgraded to a tropical depression, but it still threatens the Carolinas with winds and flash flooding.

Last year during Hurricane Harvey, CBP helped rescue more than 1,300 people from flooding. CBP was an active partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Department of Energy.