The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has rescued hundreds of citizens in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast 10 days ago.  
At the same time, the agency continues to clear miles of roadways, support local police and fire department officials, establish emergency corridors to speed the delivery of relief aid, open access to the Louisiana Heart Hospital, and provide critical help to Red Cross relief workers. Today, nearly 200 employees including U.S. Forest Service personnel are working in the areas affected by the hurricane. A full-service base of operations is in place with food services, temporary housing, shower facilities for the ICT, local law enforcement other emergency services personnel, and hurricane relief workers.  
“We have developed a great deal of experience in the past few years responding to the aftermath of hurricanes.” said Sam Hamilton, regional director for the Service’s Southeast Region. “I’m proud of the way our employees responded and were among the first to be on the scene to help start putting people’s lives together.  I am not surprised by the commitment our employees are demonstrating to our fellow citizens in this difficult time.  We are a 'can do' organization.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations.
The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.