Arkansas will send 33 state troopers, pending federal approval, to assist with rescue and security in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida, the governor said Tuesday.
Troopers were requested to assist Louisiana State Police, Governor Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday afternoon during his weekly news conference.
After federal approval, the troopers will report to Baton Rouge to start a 14-day deployment. They will be sworn in as Louisiana officers and work with Louisiana State Police to prevent looting and assist with search and rescue as needed, according to a Tuesday news release from the governor's office.
Another 33 troopers from Arkansas will be on stand by if Louisiana requests a deployment extension.
More than 500 members of the Arkansas National Guard left Tuesday and will continue to deploy today to Minden, La., where they'll receive their assignments.
Louisiana National Guard requested their deployment as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, according to the news release.
"When our neighbors in Louisiana asked for assistance after Hurricane Ida, our immediate response was 'when, where, and how many,'" Hutchinson said. "This Category 4 hurricane has dealt a significant physical and emotional blow to the state. Our soldiers and troopers will be on the front lines to deliver hope as well as physical assistance as Louisianans face the challenges and uncertainties of the coming days."
National Guard members from the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade left from the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center in Fort Smith Tuesday afternoon. Today, members of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will deploy from various armories around the state, according to the news release.
The members of the 39th are trained in route-clearance operations. Members of the 142nd are trained in and will assist in high-water rescue and recovery operations, as well as unarmed security and traffic control.
Little Rock city officials also announced on Tuesday that the city would offer local hotel vouchers to Louisiana and Mississippi residents displaced by the storms.
Impacted residents must provide some form of photo identification and a verify that they live in impacted areas.