During a mission to help restore power lines, Travis Drury of helicopter operator Air2 gets a firsthand look at the devastation in New Orleans, Louisiana, caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Te storm and subsequent flooding damaged nearly 80% of all structures in Orleans Parish and stranded 60,000 survivors without power, food, or medical supplies. Te storm made landfall in Louisiana on the morning of Aug. 29.
Tat afternoon, as soon as winds dropped to below 60 kt., US Coast Guard helicopters began flying reconnaissance and rescue missions. Te skies above the flooded city were soon filled with more than 400 helicopters— including military, commercial, and privately owned—rescuing survivors and providing essential supplies.