Kansas is sending more support to the Gulf Coast for the response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, even as Hurricane Hanna moves steadily in its wake.

Twelve Incident Management Team (IMT) personnel left today for Louisiana to work in the State Emergency Operations Center in Baton Rouge.

The personnel come from the Kansas Highway Patrol, local county emergency management offices, a community college and local fire and police departments.

“We appreciate these Kansans who have volunteered to help our state with emergencies and are now using their expertise in disaster response to help those in other states," said Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.”

Five other IMT personnel continue to work in the Mississippi State Emergency Operations Center.

“We are monitoring the situation closely to see if any additional needs arise for help from Kansas as more storms move toward the East Coast and the Gulf,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, Kansas adjutant general, and Director of Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

In addition, more than 60 volunteer linemen and dozens of trucks from Kansas area electric cooperatives will leave for Louisiana on Friday to help restore power. The Kansas crews are from Altamont, Axtell, Dodge City, Cedar Vale; Council Grove, El Dorado, Girard, McLouth, Scott City, Topeka, WaKeeney and Wamego. They will be joined by another crew from Cherokee, Okla.

The crews will assist Dixie Electric Membership Corp., headquartered in Baton Rouge, La. This electric cooperative estimated they had thousands of electric poles damaged or destroyed by the hurricane. They are expected to stay for 14 days and then rotate with a second crew of linemen from the Kansas electric cooperatives.