LOCAL AUTHORITIES PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN AFFECTED AREAS

A caravan of area law enforcement and EMS personnel left the Bartow airbase Wednesday on their way to Jackson, Mississippi, which is one of the staging areas for those arriving to assist in Hurricane Katrina recovery.

The Lakeland Ledger reported this morning that a convoy of 25 Polk County sheriff's deputies, five Lakeland Police officers, and an EMT Advanced Life Support unit left enroute to Mississippi. Another Polk County ALS unit left Tuesday.

Three of the Polk County deputies handle police dogs, and took their canines along.

Fire Rescue personnel from Marion and Alachua counties are already in the area, and the Gainesville Sun reports on their work in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, a small city near Biloxi especially hard hit. In addition, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune made note Wednesday that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sent boats and other equipment to search for people trapped in floodwaters, and the Florida National Guard sent 19 members who specialize in urban search and rescue.

The group is part of approximately 400 law enforcement and EMS personnel from Florida providing assistance to officials in the hurricane ravaged area. It also includes 50 Florida Highway Patrol troopers, including 16 from the Tampa Bay area.

Saying that their law enforcement brethren in the Magnolia State are "devestated", officials here are looking to see if agencies have patrol cars that they can donate to them.