OEP director outlines hurricane preparedness at Chamber lunch

A luncheon was held Wednesday by the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce to recognize the importance of emergency storm preparedness in the parish.
Parish Director of Emergency Preparedness from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness Duval Arthur was keynote speaker.
The ports of West St. Mary and Morgan City, sponsors, acknowledged the chamber of commerce and thanked them for their support, and awards of recognition and congratulations were given to news outlets The St. Mary & Franklin Banner-Tribune, and Teche Talk Productions for their many years of outstanding service to the parish.
Non-profit organization Bridge St. Mary was also on hand and provided the attendees with a clear understanding of their burgeoning role in the parish as a unifying influence amongst civic and community organizations.
Arthur’s address to the luncheon attendees consisted of a presentation of policies and procedures for parish hurricane preparedness and evacuation. He provided the guests with two newly published resources: The Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide by GOHSEP and the State of Louisiana, and the Storm Safe LA Survival Handbook (St. Mary Parish Edition) by the Terrebone Readiness & Assistance Coalition. All residents of St. Mary Parish were urged to procure the new materials, to assist in planning for storm survival and storm loss mitigation.
Arthur discussed the need for preventive planning by the public during the approach of a hurricane and stressed the importance of retention of public awareness up to and following orders by officials for evacuation.
He made it clear that the information advising state and local governments concerning the strength, projected path, and damage estimates of strong storms and hurricanes comes from National Weather Service reports, the most detailed analysis available, and that these reports were also what GOHSEP uses to ascertain the best routes for evacuations.
According to Arthur, the protocols for evacuation time-lines increase and decrease in fluidity and severity by 24-hour increments, and subsequent to the final availability for evacuation, citizens should remain aware of “last resort shelters” which become available upon demand, and only then, are divulged by emergency broadcast to any person or people who may require them.
Arthur also discussed the particulars of storm shelters being equipped with availability to people with special medical needs. Hospitals and medical facilities receive ample advance warning to provide a time buffer for contingency plans to go into effect. Though, not every person with medical needs will be in a medical facility at such a time as a storm emergency. Arthur made it clear that those parish residents will be provided for at shelters with the equipment and access to electricity and care they may need.
Lastly, he responded to a question about pet care during storm emergencies by advising of special shelters designed for pet care, where the owner of the pet may even visit the pet during their sojourn, given that the roads are passable.
To learn more about emergency or disaster preparation, visit the Get a Game Plan website at getagameplan.org or GOHSEP at gohsep.la.gov.