Area Coasties prepare for Gustav deployment

The U.S. Coast Guard announced this morning that a number of Great Lakes-based units, including some that participated in the response to Hurricane Katrina three years ago, are mobilizing today for deployment to the Gulf Coast.

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City is deploying an HH-65C Dolphin helicopter to Jacksonville, Florida, while other regional Coasties are being sent to Mobile, Alabama. The Great Lakes units are prepared to work with Coast Guard units from across the United States, in addition to numerous other federal, state, local and volunteer responders.

"Similar to Katrina, we are preparing for the worst," said Lt. David French, Ninth Coast Guard District external affairs officer, in a written statement. "Our Coast Guard responders remain 'always ready' to assist the American public. Our hearts and prayers are with the residents of the Gulf Coast and the multi-agency responders who are preparing to assist the region."

The photo accompanying this article shows a Coast Guard flight over the Louisiana Super Dome after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.