(Baton Rouge, LA)  --  The state of Louisiana has approved two-point-seven-million dollars in emergency communications equipment for first responders in Washington and Tangipahoa parishes, allowing the parish governments to access federal Community Development Block Grant funds needed to implement the Project.  Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, Paul Rainwater says this has been in the works since last year.  In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Washington and Tangipahoa parishes lost communications for up to several weeks.