ST. TAMMANY PARISH STATUS REPORT
Thursday, October 13, 2005, noon
Contact Suzanne Parsons Stymiest at 898-5243

PARISH PRESIDENT KEVIN DAVIS HAS LIFTED THE CURFEW IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH.    

THERE IS A BURN BAN IN EFFECT. THE BURN BAN WILL BE ENFORCED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, WITH A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION UP TO 30 DAYS IN JAIL AND A FINE UP TO $500.

St. Tammany Parish Code Enforcement officers will not be enforcing the ban on small, temporary roadside signs until Nov. 15.  This will help local businesses re-establish contact with their customers during this time of disrupted communications.  Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 15, the sign ban will be strictly enforced.  All businesses are asked to have any temporary signs removed by that date.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER INFORMATION: For information from the St. Tammany Parish Emergency Operations Center, call 898-2323 from 7 a.m.-7p.m.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: Southeastern Louisiana University Small Business Development Center is offering disaster relief assistance workshops for business owners affected by Katrina. For more information, contact 985-549-3831.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES: The FLUOR Corporation, based in Baton Rouge, is seeking 120 plumbers and 120 electricians who are journeymen or above to handle work in St. Tammany Parish. FLUOR is also seeking plumbers, pipefitters, electricians and inspectors at all levels. Contact FLUOR at 225-391-2401.

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS: Charter has now established a repair update hotline that customers can call in to hear updates on their particular area. The hotline number is 1-888-249-7751. The phone number to Charter Communications National Headquarters in St. Louis is 1-314-965-0555. Charter’s President is Neil Smith and their Vice President is Michael Lovett. 

DRINKING WATER – SOME AREA RESTRICTIONS REMAIN: Louisiana DHH continues to sample some private water systems. Be sure you know who the provider of your water is before you begin to drink the water. This is a very serious public health issue. If you have ANY doubt about the safety of your water, CONTINUE TO BOIL. Due to the extensive number of water systems in St. Tammany Parish, we cannot list the smaller private wells and systems. Call the Parish Department of Environmental Services at 898-2535 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for additional water information. You may also call the state Department of Health and Hospitals at 893-6296. The Slidell section will be located at 21454 Koop Dr, Suite 2C, Mandeville, until further notice. All water samples from the Slidell area should be delivered to the Mandeville address and requests for retail/day care inspections should be directed to 893-6296. The DHH is offering free bacteriological testing for citizens who have private drinking water wells and systems. Homeowners with well systems can pick up a sampling kit and instructions for submitting samples of their water at 21454 Koop Dr, Suite 2C.

DEBRIS PICKUP: 280 crews are now picking up debris in St. Tammany Parish. Please help by taking your yard debris to the street. DO NOT put debris in drainage ditches, as this only increases the risk of fire, enhances mosquito growth and impairs drainage.  Please keep debris away from mailboxes; do not put debris under power lines and on top of electrical equipment, such as transformers.  Please separate wooded debris from flooded household debris since different haulers will be picking up the different items. As of Oct. 12, St. Tammany Parish work crews have collected 1,560,567.66 cubic yards of debris. For more information call 985-201-0809.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: is operating out of the mobile community information center at the Wal-Mart on Airport Road in Slidell from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Department of Public Health will be offering immunizations on a limited basis. The Community Wellness Center, 1505 N. Florida Street in Covington, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., providing immunizations, including the free Tetanus-Diphtheria shot. They can also register storm survivors for WIC food assistance and Medicaid.

MOSQUITO CONTROL:  Mosquitoes help spread West Nile Virus. Use insect repellant containing DEET when outdoors. The number of mosquitoes in roadside ditches is increasing due to debris. Residents should empty all outdoor containers holding water. If it holds water it can breed mosquitoes. Please cover it, dump it, turn it over or get rid of it. Mosquito Control staff are spraying in various locations throughout the parish. Fifty-four (54) samples collected last week were analyzed and tested NEGATIVE for West Nile Virus. Nonetheless, experts caution that West Nile infection remains a risk, and mosquitoes are the primary source of transmission.

TARPS: The Army Corps of Engineers is providing blue roofing and tarps. Operation Blue Roof is a program that provides assistance to storm victims in disaster areas through the installation of plastic sheeting on damaged roofs, allowing residents to return and remain in their homes. The Corps of Engineers does not distribute tarps for self-installation through this program. The homeowner must sign a Right of Entry form to grant access to their property. The residence must be structurally sound. The roof cannot be more than 50 percent damaged and cannot be flat, or covered with metal, tile, slate or asbestos slate. You may sign up for them at the 31-A Park Place Drive in Covington.

RED CROSS UPDATE

SHELTER/HOT MEALS INFORMATION: Approximately 300 people remain in shelters in St. Tammany Parish. The Red Cross is also serving meals twice a day – midday and early evening. The Red Cross has 863 volunteers working in St. Tammany Parish and has served over 1.5 million meals to date.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FINANCIAL AID: The American Red Cross toll-free call center is established to provide financial resources, from $360 to $1,500, to hurricane survivors across the nation to meet their immediate disaster-related needs. This financial assistance program is available from the national headquarters at 1-800-975-7585 telephone number to register. On Oct. 5, Red Cross financial aid switched from debit cards to checks in order to simplify the application process and help prevent fraud. The American Red Cross drive-through relief center in Slidell is closed.  The Red Cross will continue to operate a walk-up center in Mandeville at the Castine Center, 63350 Pelican Drive, Mandeville. It is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday through Friday. Financial assistance is based on factors such as family size, residence, and costs of necessities. One member of each household should call 1-800-975-7585. As of Oct. 10, he Red Cross has raised over $1.1 billion and assisted 1,113,727 families to date. The organization has already spent or committed more than $1.4 billion for Katrina relief efforts.

FEMA SERVICES UPDATE

FEMA ASSISTANCE: Disaster victims are urged to register for assistance by calling FEMA’s toll-free registration line 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585 for speech and hearing impaired, or register online at www.fema.gov. People who have questions may visit the FEMA center at John Slidell Municipal Park, 105 Robert Road, Slidell, and at the La-Z Boy Center, 31-A Park Place, Covington. The Disaster Recovery Centers will be open from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., seven days a week, for applicants to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists. As of Oct. 10, FEMA reports 107,288 applications for FEMA assistance in St. Tammany Parish. FEMA has designated $7.5 million in assistance to St. Tammany Parish.

FEMA TRANSITIONAL HOUSING: Anyone in need of transitional housing must call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) to get your name on the list. FEMA is determining housing priorities.