TEXAS, USA — Updated at 12:50 p.m. Monday after Abbott said Texas was sending additional crews to help.
Texas first responders are getting ready to help their Louisiana neighbors deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, as the historically strong Category 4 storm makes its way through the state following landfall late Sunday morning.
Here's what groups are helping in Louisiana:
Texas A&M Task Force 1
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Federal Emergency Management Agency activated Texas A&M Task Force 1. The task force is one of the federal agency's Urban Search and Rescue Teams.
"Our team is organized and ready to assist the residents in areas affected by the storm," officials said.
Frisco and Allen fire departments
The Frisco Fire Department also sent three of its members as part of that task force to help with the aftermath.
"These firefighters are in support of all Gulf Coast residents and beyond impacted by this storm. Prayers for safety for all," the department posted on its Facebook page.
Allen's assistant fire chief has also been deployed near Terrebonne Parish with the task force to lead a team in the area to respond to emergencies as a Rescue Squad Officer, officials with the Allen Fire Department said Monday. He has previously deployed to other hurricanes like Harvey.
Plano Fire-Rescue
Plano Fire-Rescue said Monday it had six crew members and two apparatus heading to Baton Rouge to help response efforts as well.
FEMA
FEMA officials said they had deployed 2,400 employees across Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Texas to handle the storm's aftermath, with 12 urban search and rescue teams.
Texas Division of Emergency Management
The Texas Division of Emergency Management has resources to send to Louisiana. Abbott announced Monday morning he sent a Chinook helicopter, 14 crew members, 30 Type 1 fire engines and 132 firefighters from the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System to Louisiana after the state requested help.
"The State of Texas is proud to support our neighbors in Louisiana by sending emergency resources and personnel to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida," Abbott said. "We will never forget the kindness, generosity, and support offered by the people of Louisiana during Hurricane Harvey four years ago, and we are eager to support them in their own time of need."
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday afternoon that there were already 900 people from crews across the country staged in the area to conduct search and rescue operations.
"There is always light after darkness, and I assure you we're going to get through this," Edwards said.
Salvation Army of North Texas
The Salvation Army of North Texas is also preparing to help out as needed, with two canteens, which are emergency disaster feeding units, on standby to help areas that need it.
World Central Kitchen
Famous chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen were in New Orleans Sunday with three kitchens and supplies for 100,000 meals ready to go ahead of the storm, he tweeted.
Texas Baptist Men
The Texas Baptist Men volunteer teams departed from North Texas Monday to help South Louisiana.
Oncor
Oncor officials said early Monday they were sending 135 personnel and contact support to Louisiana to help restore power to the nearly 1 million people who were without. Many people lost power after a major transmission tower that serves most of Orleans and Jefferson parishes was knocked into a river, WWL reported.
Watch live coverage of the storm from WWL and WFAA below:
WFAA Digital Content Producer Jennifer Prohov contributed to this report.
