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More updates from Times-Picayune:

Fires burning in N.O.Friday, 12:23 p.m.

State environmental officials confirmed that two fires were burning out of control Friday morning in the New Orleans area.

Rodney Mallett, communications director for the Department of Environmental Quality, said a warehouse that is used to store discarded oil products was on fire in the 3500 block of Chartres Street.

The second fire was located on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, but he could not give a location or details about the blaze.

Mallett said federal Environmental Protection Agency officials have flown over the Chartres Street blaze with monitoring equipment and that first indications are that there are no toxic emissions. He said EPA has taken samples of the air over the fire and that more detailed results should be available later today.

A third fire was reported to be burning, according to the Associated Press, in a building behind the Windsor Court Hotel in downtown New Orleans. But no details are available on that fire either.

-Ed Anderson, Capital bureau

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	Charity, University hospitals evacuation resumesFriday, 11:57 a.m. BATON ROUGE - Twenty-eight infants and young children have been successfully evacuated from Charity and University hospitals and are bound for Baton Rouge, the head of Louisiana State University's public hospital system said Friday. But an unspecified number of patients at the hospitals are still awaiting evacuation from facilities that have been beset by dwindling supplies of food, medicine, fuel and water since Katrina's floodwaters rose, said Donald Smithburg, head of LSU's Health Care Services Division. Hospital officials have been calling for their patients to be evacuated since early Tuesday. Helicopters finally began showing up Thursday morning to ferry people to safety, but the exodus was quickly halted because of security concerns, Smithburg said. "We had to pull back because they were taking shots,'' he said. Smithburg said the evacuation re-started around 9:30 Friday morning with a mix of private choppers and "heavily armed'' Chinook helicopters operated by the National Guard. -Jan Moller Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Treasury, IRS take steps to make additional diesel fuel availableFriday, 11:55 a.m. WASHINGTON, DC - The Treasury Department and IRS today announced that "dyed diesel fuel" would be permitted for road use. Dyed diesel fuel ordinarily is intended for off-road use in farm equipment or in certain government vehicles such as school buses. It is dyed to distinguish it from diesel fuel intended for road use. "Today's action is a relatively simple and straightforward step that will immediately increase the available supply of diesel fuel nationwide, which is especially needed in Gulf Coast relief efforts," Secretary of the Treasury John Snow stated." The announcement today will make available additional supplies of diesel fuel that will help alleviate shortages. The relief will remain in effect through September 15, 2005. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Planning to return? Roll up your sleeve.Friday, 11:45 a.m. People who are planning to return to Louisiana should consider getting tetanus shots first, according to the state health department. Adults need boosters every 10 years, spokeswoman Kristen Meyer said, but if more than five years have passed since the last tetanus shot, people should get another inoculation after being cut or injured, especially while cleaning up after Hurricane Katrina or working in dirty water. The question about shots has been the dominant query from callers to the department's emergency center who are planning to come back, Meyer said. "It's a good thing that people are trying to find out," she said. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Coast guard has rescued four thousand so farST. LOUIS – More than 4,000 people have been rescued from rooftops, flooded neighborhoods and hospitals throughout the Gulf Coast region since rescue operations began Monday, and joint-agency rescue operations are continuing day and night. The Coast Guard is placing a priority of evacuating patients from hospitals and is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deliver food and water to stranded survivors. More than 23,000 pounds of water have been delivered thus far. Coast Guard assets and personnel from all over the country have been deployed to the area. Many were in place before the storm hit, and more are on their way. Forty-eight aircraft from nine air stations are also on scene conducting search, rescue and humanitarian assistance operations. The 270-foot Coast Guard Cutter Spencer arrived in the New Orleans area last night to provide communications and logistical support to Coast Guard rescue personnel. Twenty-four other cutters are operating in the Gulf of Mexico, with eight more en route. Waterway surveys continue. The Port of Destin/Panama City is now open to vessels with a 34-foot draft or less. The status of all other ports and waterways has not changed. The Port of Mobile is open to barge traffic only. Surveys of the Mississippi River are continuing. There are approximately 90 vessels waiting to enter the Port of New Orleans. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans is establishing a task force to work with the maritime industry and the New Orleans Port Authority to prioritize how those vessels will be allowed into port once the river reopens. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port offloaded oil Thursday night for the first time since the hurricane; four more vessels are there waiting to offload. The Minerals Management Service is providing daily updates on the offshore platforms and rigs at http://www.mms.gov. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Two fires burning out of controlState environmental officials confirmed that two fires were burning out of control Friday morning in the New Orleans area. Rodney Mallett, communications director for the Department of Environmental Quality, said a warehouse that is used to store discarded oil products was on fire in the 3500 block of Chartres Street. He said it did not appear to pose an environmental hazard. The second fire was located on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, but he could not give a location or details about the blaze. Mallett said federal Environmental Protection Agency officials have flown over the Chartres Street blaze with monitoring equipment and that first indications are that there are no toxic emissions. He said EPA has taken samples of the air over the fire and that more detailed results should be available later today. A third fire was reported to be burning, according to the Associated Press, in a building behind the Windsor Court Hotel in downtown New Orleans. But no details are available on that fire either. -Ed Anderson Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Rep. Carter makes urgent plea for gas, busesBATON ROUGE - State Rep. Karen Carter, D-New Orleans, made an urgent plea Friday morning for gasoline and buses to ferry victims to safety who have been stuck in New Orleans under deteriorating conditions since Hurricane Katrina struck the city four days ago. "If you want to save a life get a bus down here," said Carter, whose district includes the French Quarter. "I'm asking the American people to help save a wonderful American city." Her voice cracking with emotion and her eyes bloodshot from fatigue and distress, Carter said pledges of money and other assistance are of secondary importance right now to the urgent need for transportation. "Don't give me your money. Don't send me $10 million today. Give me buses and gas. Buses and gas. Buses and gas," she said. "If you have to commandeer Greyhound, commandeer Greyhound. … If you donn't get a bus, if we don't get them out of there, they will die." Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, who is coordinating federal relief efforts on behalf of the National Guard, could not say when people can expect to be rescued. â€œIf you're human you've got to be affected by it, Blum said. "These people, their heartstrings are torn as are yours. (But) the magnitude of this problem is you cannot help everybody at the same time." Blum said 7,000 troops from around the country and will be in place by Saturday evening to help restore order. Col. Pete Schneider, a spokesman for the Louisiana National Guard, said most of the new arriving soldiers are military police or infantry. Already, the beefed-up police presence is allowing for patrols in area that have essentially been ungoverned since Katrina struck. "We're getting into areas that have been previously inaccessible," said Sgt. Cathy Flinchum of the Louisiana State Police Asked why the people waiting at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center and elsewhere have not received airdropped relief supplies of food and water despite reports that corprse are beginning to pile up, Blum said: "I don't know. That's what I'm doing here is assessing the situation. Nobody wants anyone to die." Carter, who expressed frustration with the slow pace of the federal relief effort and compared it to the speed with which U.S. forces react in times of war and tragedy in other countries, insisted there is one key way for people to help. "If you own a bus, bring it. We'll find a way to get it in to New Orleans," she said. -Jan Moller and Ed Anderson. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Ford Offers Payment DeferralsFord Motor Credit Company is offering customers affected by Hurricane Katrina the opportunity to defer up to two vehicle payments. Under the Disaster Relief Program, customers have the opportunity to defer these monthly payments without paying extension fees. The program is open to customers living in counties that FEMA has declared federal disaster areas as a result of the storm. Ford Motor Credit customers who are eligible for the Disaster Relief Program should receive letters next week with instructions on how to register. Customers must register within 60 days to qualify. Deferred payments are due at the end of the contract term. Customers who have not received a letter, but believe they qualify, may call the toll-free number listed for their brand to register: Ford Credit: 1-800-723-4016; Jaguar Credit: 1-800-945-7000; Land Rover Capital Group: 1-877-507-2264; Mazda American Credit: 1-800-945-4000; PRIMUS Financial Services: 1-800-945-4000; Volvo Car Finance: 1-800-770-8234 Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Mortgage Loan Relief AvailableFannie Mae has mortgage relief provisions in place for borrowers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and other states facing hardships as a result of widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. With Fannie Mae's disaster relief provisions, lenders help borrowers in several ways, including suspending mortgage payments for up to three months, reducing the payments for up to 18 months, or in more severe cases, creating longer loan payback plans. Such assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis, and is designed to meet the individual needs of borrowers. For information on mortgage relief, homeowners who have experienced hardships should contact the lender to whom they send their monthly mortgage payment. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Crisis Counseling Hotline AvailableUnitedHealthcare announced that anyone in the Gulf Coast region affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina will have free access to a 24-hour telephone service staffed by UnitedHealthcare's experienced master's-level counselors. Counselors can assist callers with the range of personal concerns that may affect victims of natural disasters: Stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers also may receive referrals from a national database of community resources to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues. Callers who may have suffered physical trauma or symptoms will be transferred to a nurse who will be able to provide health education and decision support regarding the need for medical treatment. In addition, individuals who prefer to use the Internet may access disaster information at www.liveandworkwell.com The toll-free hotline is 1-866-615-8700. The service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge to anyone affected by the hurricane. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	ABA Will Help Hurricane VictimsAmerican Bar Association President Michael S. Greco has announced that he is enlisting the ABA Young Lawyers Division and lawyers from several ABA sections to assist hurricane victims. The lawyers will assist with insurance claims, home repair contracts, wills and other documents, and related issues. FEMA is now in the process of establishing a hotline staffed by ABA volunteer lawyers to assist victims in each affected state. A complete listing of the FEMA hotlines and other available legal resources will be posted on the ABA Web site, http://www.abanet.org/, in the coming days. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Hotline set up for military families9:27 a.m. Authorities have set up a hotline so that families of deployed soldiers can report their whereabouts. That information will be forwarded to military members serving overseas. The number is 1-888-777-7731. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Chase looks for its employeesChase Bank continued searching for Chase and Bank One employees in the New Orleans area Thursday. The bank asked any employees in the affected area who have not been accounted for to call 866-475-7623. The hotline is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.


	Charity, University hospitals evacuation resumesFriday, 11:57 a.m. BATON ROUGE - Twenty-eight infants and young children have been successfully evacuated from Charity and University hospitals and are bound for Baton Rouge, the head of Louisiana State University's public hospital system said Friday. But an unspecified number of patients at the hospitals are still awaiting evacuation from facilities that have been beset by dwindling supplies of food, medicine, fuel and water since Katrina's floodwaters rose, said Donald Smithburg, head of LSU's Health Care Services Division. Hospital officials have been calling for their patients to be evacuated since early Tuesday. Helicopters finally began showing up Thursday morning to ferry people to safety, but the exodus was quickly halted because of security concerns, Smithburg said. "We had to pull back because they were taking shots,'' he said. Smithburg said the evacuation re-started around 9:30 Friday morning with a mix of private choppers and "heavily armed'' Chinook helicopters operated by the National Guard. -Jan Moller Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Treasury, IRS take steps to make additional diesel fuel availableFriday, 11:55 a.m. WASHINGTON, DC - The Treasury Department and IRS today announced that "dyed diesel fuel" would be permitted for road use. Dyed diesel fuel ordinarily is intended for off-road use in farm equipment or in certain government vehicles such as school buses. It is dyed to distinguish it from diesel fuel intended for road use. "Today's action is a relatively simple and straightforward step that will immediately increase the available supply of diesel fuel nationwide, which is especially needed in Gulf Coast relief efforts," Secretary of the Treasury John Snow stated." The announcement today will make available additional supplies of diesel fuel that will help alleviate shortages. The relief will remain in effect through September 15, 2005. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Planning to return? Roll up your sleeve.Friday, 11:45 a.m. People who are planning to return to Louisiana should consider getting tetanus shots first, according to the state health department. Adults need boosters every 10 years, spokeswoman Kristen Meyer said, but if more than five years have passed since the last tetanus shot, people should get another inoculation after being cut or injured, especially while cleaning up after Hurricane Katrina or working in dirty water. The question about shots has been the dominant query from callers to the department's emergency center who are planning to come back, Meyer said. "It's a good thing that people are trying to find out," she said. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Coast guard has rescued four thousand so farST. LOUIS – More than 4,000 people have been rescued from rooftops, flooded neighborhoods and hospitals throughout the Gulf Coast region since rescue operations began Monday, and joint-agency rescue operations are continuing day and night. The Coast Guard is placing a priority of evacuating patients from hospitals and is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deliver food and water to stranded survivors. More than 23,000 pounds of water have been delivered thus far. Coast Guard assets and personnel from all over the country have been deployed to the area. Many were in place before the storm hit, and more are on their way. Forty-eight aircraft from nine air stations are also on scene conducting search, rescue and humanitarian assistance operations. The 270-foot Coast Guard Cutter Spencer arrived in the New Orleans area last night to provide communications and logistical support to Coast Guard rescue personnel. Twenty-four other cutters are operating in the Gulf of Mexico, with eight more en route. Waterway surveys continue. The Port of Destin/Panama City is now open to vessels with a 34-foot draft or less. The status of all other ports and waterways has not changed. The Port of Mobile is open to barge traffic only. Surveys of the Mississippi River are continuing. There are approximately 90 vessels waiting to enter the Port of New Orleans. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans is establishing a task force to work with the maritime industry and the New Orleans Port Authority to prioritize how those vessels will be allowed into port once the river reopens. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port offloaded oil Thursday night for the first time since the hurricane; four more vessels are there waiting to offload. The Minerals Management Service is providing daily updates on the offshore platforms and rigs at http://www.mms.gov. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Two fires burning out of controlState environmental officials confirmed that two fires were burning out of control Friday morning in the New Orleans area. Rodney Mallett, communications director for the Department of Environmental Quality, said a warehouse that is used to store discarded oil products was on fire in the 3500 block of Chartres Street. He said it did not appear to pose an environmental hazard. The second fire was located on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, but he could not give a location or details about the blaze. Mallett said federal Environmental Protection Agency officials have flown over the Chartres Street blaze with monitoring equipment and that first indications are that there are no toxic emissions. He said EPA has taken samples of the air over the fire and that more detailed results should be available later today. A third fire was reported to be burning, according to the Associated Press, in a building behind the Windsor Court Hotel in downtown New Orleans. But no details are available on that fire either. -Ed Anderson Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Rep. Carter makes urgent plea for gas, busesBATON ROUGE - State Rep. Karen Carter, D-New Orleans, made an urgent plea Friday morning for gasoline and buses to ferry victims to safety who have been stuck in New Orleans under deteriorating conditions since Hurricane Katrina struck the city four days ago. "If you want to save a life get a bus down here," said Carter, whose district includes the French Quarter. "I'm asking the American people to help save a wonderful American city." Her voice cracking with emotion and her eyes bloodshot from fatigue and distress, Carter said pledges of money and other assistance are of secondary importance right now to the urgent need for transportation. "Don't give me your money. Don't send me $10 million today. Give me buses and gas. Buses and gas. Buses and gas," she said. "If you have to commandeer Greyhound, commandeer Greyhound. … If you donn't get a bus, if we don't get them out of there, they will die." Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, who is coordinating federal relief efforts on behalf of the National Guard, could not say when people can expect to be rescued. â€œIf you're human you've got to be affected by it, Blum said. "These people, their heartstrings are torn as are yours. (But) the magnitude of this problem is you cannot help everybody at the same time." Blum said 7,000 troops from around the country and will be in place by Saturday evening to help restore order. Col. Pete Schneider, a spokesman for the Louisiana National Guard, said most of the new arriving soldiers are military police or infantry. Already, the beefed-up police presence is allowing for patrols in area that have essentially been ungoverned since Katrina struck. "We're getting into areas that have been previously inaccessible," said Sgt. Cathy Flinchum of the Louisiana State Police Asked why the people waiting at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center and elsewhere have not received airdropped relief supplies of food and water despite reports that corprse are beginning to pile up, Blum said: "I don't know. That's what I'm doing here is assessing the situation. Nobody wants anyone to die." Carter, who expressed frustration with the slow pace of the federal relief effort and compared it to the speed with which U.S. forces react in times of war and tragedy in other countries, insisted there is one key way for people to help. "If you own a bus, bring it. We'll find a way to get it in to New Orleans," she said. -Jan Moller and Ed Anderson. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Ford Offers Payment DeferralsFord Motor Credit Company is offering customers affected by Hurricane Katrina the opportunity to defer up to two vehicle payments. Under the Disaster Relief Program, customers have the opportunity to defer these monthly payments without paying extension fees. The program is open to customers living in counties that FEMA has declared federal disaster areas as a result of the storm. Ford Motor Credit customers who are eligible for the Disaster Relief Program should receive letters next week with instructions on how to register. Customers must register within 60 days to qualify. Deferred payments are due at the end of the contract term. Customers who have not received a letter, but believe they qualify, may call the toll-free number listed for their brand to register: Ford Credit: 1-800-723-4016; Jaguar Credit: 1-800-945-7000; Land Rover Capital Group: 1-877-507-2264; Mazda American Credit: 1-800-945-4000; PRIMUS Financial Services: 1-800-945-4000; Volvo Car Finance: 1-800-770-8234 Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Mortgage Loan Relief AvailableFannie Mae has mortgage relief provisions in place for borrowers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and other states facing hardships as a result of widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. With Fannie Mae's disaster relief provisions, lenders help borrowers in several ways, including suspending mortgage payments for up to three months, reducing the payments for up to 18 months, or in more severe cases, creating longer loan payback plans. Such assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis, and is designed to meet the individual needs of borrowers. For information on mortgage relief, homeowners who have experienced hardships should contact the lender to whom they send their monthly mortgage payment. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Crisis Counseling Hotline AvailableUnitedHealthcare announced that anyone in the Gulf Coast region affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina will have free access to a 24-hour telephone service staffed by UnitedHealthcare's experienced master's-level counselors. Counselors can assist callers with the range of personal concerns that may affect victims of natural disasters: Stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers also may receive referrals from a national database of community resources to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues. Callers who may have suffered physical trauma or symptoms will be transferred to a nurse who will be able to provide health education and decision support regarding the need for medical treatment. In addition, individuals who prefer to use the Internet may access disaster information at www.liveandworkwell.com The toll-free hotline is 1-866-615-8700. The service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge to anyone affected by the hurricane. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	ABA Will Help Hurricane VictimsAmerican Bar Association President Michael S. Greco has announced that he is enlisting the ABA Young Lawyers Division and lawyers from several ABA sections to assist hurricane victims. The lawyers will assist with insurance claims, home repair contracts, wills and other documents, and related issues. FEMA is now in the process of establishing a hotline staffed by ABA volunteer lawyers to assist victims in each affected state. A complete listing of the FEMA hotlines and other available legal resources will be posted on the ABA Web site, http://www.abanet.org/, in the coming days. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Hotline set up for military families9:27 a.m. Authorities have set up a hotline so that families of deployed soldiers can report their whereabouts. That information will be forwarded to military members serving overseas. The number is 1-888-777-7731. Print \| Send To A Friend \| Permalink (Learn More)
	Chase looks for its employeesChase Bank continued searching for Chase and Bank One employees in the New Orleans area Thursday. The bank asked any employees in the affected area who have not been accounted for to call 866-475-7623. The hotline is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.