La. helping Va. with Irene recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana's emergency response office is sending four employees to Virginia to assist that state with recovery efforts from Hurricane Irene.

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness announced Wednesday that its employees will help Virginia officials with filing the paperwork for areas to receive federal public assistance grants. The employees will be assigned to Virginia for 30 days.

Irene struck the eastern coast of the United States in August, causing extensive wind and flood damage.

GOHSEP says Virginia sent law enforcement agents, search and rescue teams, cadaver dogs, a mobile command post and National Guard support to Louisiana after hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike in 2005 and 2008.

The assistance is provided through a multi-state compact established in 1996.