NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
01 September 2005

PA TASK FORCE ONE BEGINS WORK IN MISSISSIPPI

Mayor Stephen R. Reed tonight reported that Pennsylvania Task Force One has now begun full operations in the Hurricane Katrina-ravaged community of Biloxi, Mississippi. All task force members have been put to work. A major focus is on searching devastated areas for survivors and to effect their rescue.

The entire team will continue operations until after dark. Starting tomorrow (Thursday), they will start working around-the-clock on a 12-hour shift basis, begin-ning at 8:00 a.m., with half the team on duty and half off at any given time. When the personnel are off duty, they will still be working on logistical supply operations, equipment maintenance, task planning and task force administration.

Side Note: Sister task force members from other states that are working in New Orleans, Louisiana, report making 456 rescues today, with 6 of those rescued being in critical medical condition, while the rest were in relatively good physical condition.