Opened in Baton Rouge on Sept. 7, 2005
Closed on August 14, 2006

While it was open, the Center was staffed by professionals experienced in forensic medicine, genetics, mental health, pathology and Internet technology. The center also used volunteer chaplains, mortuary specialists and call center operators. It was the national collection point for information on separated family members or those who may have perished in Louisiana during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

On August 14, all work of the Center was formally transitioned to the local law enforcement agencies that will continue the work of locating missing persons. Callers to the Missing Hotline (1-866-326-9393) who wish to make new missing reports will be referred to the appropriate local law enforcement agency where the missing person lived prior to the storms. this number will remain opeerational until August 31, 2006.

Center Highlights:

• From a total of 13,400 missing reports, 13,260 cases have been resolved with 10,985 found alive, 859 confirmed as victims of the storms and 1,416 cases referred to other jurisdictions after being determined to not be from Louisiana.
• This amounts to a rate of 99 percent of the missing cases resolved.
• “One of the most comprehensive and successful searches for missing persons in the nation’s law enforcement history.” - Louis Cataldie, M.D., acting State Medical Examiner
• Of the 910 storm victims received at the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) morgues at Carville and St. Gabriel, nearly 98 percent (887) have been identified.

Local Law Enforcement Contacts