New York City police officers who traveled to Louisiana to aid in Hurricane Ida recovery efforts received a laughter-filled lesson in how to pronounce some of the names of places in the state.
The Hammond Police in Louisiana posted a video on Facebook Thursday showing two NYPD officers mispronouncing names like Tchoupitoulas, Natchitoches, Tangipahoa, Atchafalaya and Grosse Tete.
When a Hurricane hits we often get volunteers from all over the country. Today we met Juan and David from New York City Police Department. Watch for a...
"When a Hurricane hits we often get volunteers from all over the country. Today we met Juan and David from New York City Police Department. Watch for a good laugh!!" the police department wrote on Facebook.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards responded to the video on Saturday morning.
"These hardworking NYPD officers get a pass for mispronouncing my hometown of Amite. Thank you for your service to the people of Louisiana," Edwards wrote on Twitter.
These hardworking NYPD officers get a pass for mispronouncing my hometown of Amite. Thank you for your service to the people of Louisiana, @NYPDNews. #lagov https://t.co/ndYV6iyHgB
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) September 4, 2021
In the wake of Hurricane Ida, hundreds of first responders from the New York City tri-state area were dispatched to Louisiana to assist with the state's recovery.
On August 29, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had activated an Urban Search and Rescue-New York Task Force 1 to send 83 members to Louisiana, including "specially trained personnel" from New York City's police and fire departments.
The task force specializes "in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine."
"New York City is happy to answer the call beyond the five boroughs. This team has faced a range of disasters and is now prepared to help people who are threatened by Hurricane Ida," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner John Scrivani in a statement.
Many Louisiana residents are still grappling with power outages in the wake of the storm. As of Saturday morning, there were still nearly 700,000 customers in the state without electricity, with outages concentrated in the southeastern portion of the state, according to the website PowerOutage.US.
Louisiana residents are also facing high temperatures and fuel shortages as the recovery efforts continue.
A New Orleans resident, Myra Castro, told CNN Friday that she waited at a gas station for two hours before filling her car up.
"We're in the heat. We ain't got no lights. It's been almost like five days," Castro said. "My kids are hot. We're hungry," she said.
"We need help now. Can y'all help us?"
President Joe Biden visited the state on Friday and urged insurance companies to pay what they owe customers facing property damages, and not "hide behind the fine print and technicality."
About the writer
Xander Landen is a Newsweek weekend reporter. His focus is often U.S. politics, but he frequently covers other issues including ... Read more
