First Federal Bank closes area offices

First Federal Bank of Louisiana says it offices in Calcasieu Parish and in DeRidder, Oakdale and Oberlin are closed until power and communications are restored. Its offices in Natchitoches and Alexandria are open; however, branch employees in both cities say computers are down at all open branches and are unable to process transactions or provide current account information.

First Federal employees in Natchitoches and Alexandria advised customers to hold on to cash if they have it, and that money from their accounts may be available from ATMs outside of the First Federal network. However, any balances in those systems would be from Sept. 21 or Sept. 22, and would not be updated until information could be rerouted from Lake Charles.