Bush Declares State Of Emergecy In Louisiana Ahead Of Gustav

By Darrell A. Hughes, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, days ahead of Tropical Storm Gustav's projected arrival in the Gulf Coast as a likely hurricane.

The president mandated that federal agencies assist and supplement state and local response efforts. Coordination efforts will be controlled via the Federal Emergency Management Agency and are set to begin from this point on until necessary, according to the White House.

"FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impact of the emergency," a White House statement read.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison named Michael J. Hall as the Federal Coordinating Officer for FEMA operations in the affected regions.