St. Tammany Parish Emergency Operations Center Parish Status Update

Tuesday, August 30, 2005 9:00 AM Contact PIO desk at Emergency Center @ 985-898-2860

Statement from Parish President Kevin Davis:

Below is a status report from the emergency operations center. Public health and safety are our priorities.

“Our first priority is to clear major roads so that FEMA and other agencies can reach us with water, food & shelter. A 24/7 curfew is in place. Stay in your homes. It is not safe to be on the streets. Violators are subject to arrest. If you evacuated, DO NOT RETURN. St. Tammany Parish is closed. Do not attempt to cross St. Tammany Parish to reach other areas. Make safety your first priority. Please obey the instructions below regarding water and other public health and safety issues. Please be patient. We are in recovery operations.”

Sheriff Jack Strain continues to oversee the recovery effort and has urged citizens in the area to stay where they are unless travel is absolutely necessary.

“Our deputies are fully mobilized and working around the clock to restore a safe environment,” the sheriff said. “We need the full cooperation of every citizen in respecting the curfew, cooperating with emergency responders, and putting safety first. Residents who remain in St. Tammany Parish should stay where they are until instructed that the parish is safe for movement. Those who evacuated should stay out of the parish while we continue the early phases of this recovery effort.”

Citizen actions needed:

1- Stay at home. Do not enter the streets. A 24-hour curfew is in effect. Violators are subject to arrest.

2- Drink only bottled water OR water that has been at a full boil for at least ten minutes. Do not drink or cook with any water that has not been disinfected.

3- Stay out of flood waters. If you live in a high water area with central sewerage, sewage will be in the water. Stay out of ALL flood waters.

Reports:

Emergency Operations:

We are working with the State Office of Emergency Preparedness and FEMA to bring water, food and fuel for emergency responders into the parish. We are working with the Red Cross to establish temporary shelters.

Power:

CLECO & WST crews and the St. Tammany Parish Department of Public Works are working to clear major roads to allow FEMA to enter parish. 750 line and trimming crews are in-route. All parts & equipment for repair are in-route. Thousands of poles are down. Major damage parish-wide. Emphasis will be to restore emergency & medical sites first. Gas line breaks were wide-spread. Gas companies are working.

9-1-1 & Telephone:

The 9-1-1 grid is not operational as of this morning. Work is underway to restore the grid and all land-line communications. No report on cell towers at this time.

City of Slidell:

Lake waters are beginning to recede. The City has experienced major flooding from Gause Boulevard south. There is major tree and power-line damage city-wide. All major arterial roads are impassable.

City of Mandeville:

Flood waters reached to Monroe Street. There is NO ACCESS to Lakefront. The City is beginning the clearing process.

Town of Folsom:

Trees down, all utilities out. No flooding reported at this time.

Town of Abita Springs:

Trees down, all utilities out. No flooding reported at this time.

Town of Madisonville:

Trees down, all utilities out. Majority of building had some flooding.

The Parish is sending emergency crews to contact areas that have not sent reports to the EOC.

St. Tammany Parish School Board: All schools are closed until further notice.