Evacuation of offshore oil platforms began as early as September 29. The majority of the 2,000 oil workers were evacuated on September 30 and October 1. Along the United States Gulf Coast, approximately 150,000 people evacuated. The U.S. Office of Civil Defense and three companies of the Louisiana National Guard were assigned to areas of the coast expedite the evacuation process. Areas lining Lake Pontchartrain were almost entirely evacuated. Re-purposed boxcars were used to move 3,400 evacuees northward from New Orleans and Franklin, Louisiana. A mandatory evacuation order was placed for a section of the coast of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, with shuttle buses assisting in evacuating refugees to Opelousas, Louisiana. The United States Red Cross transported 10,000 cots to evacuation centers in Opelousas to serve the evacuees. Morgan City and Cameron, Louisiana were sites of mass exodus with Hilda approaching the coast. Evacuation out of Cameron was disrupted by the lack of a bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway, and thus had to be conducted via ferry. Heads of cattle were among those evacuating from Cameron Parish in fears of a repeat of Hurricane Audrey, which had killed 35,000 cattle. Similarly, all residents of Pecan Island, Louisiana were evacuated. In Grand Isle, Louisiana, approximately 80% of the population evacuated.