Strain puts out statewide call for hay and feed donations

BATON ROUGE , La. (September 16, 2008) – Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., has put out a statewide call for donations of hay and cattle feed to supply cattle in coastal areas left stranded by the storm surge of Hurricane Ike.

“There are thousands of cattle stranded by high water in Cameron, Vermilion, Plaquemines, Lafourche, Terrebonne and other parishes and they’re going to need hay and feed,” Strain said. “If you can donate hay or feed, call the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association and give them your information.”

Strain said the LDAF will distribute the hay to the areas where it is needed most.

The phone number for the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association is 225-343-3491. The phone number for the LDAF is 225-922-1234 or 800-558-9741.

Strain said receipts for the donations can be obtained through the Louisiana Cattleman’s Association, the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and the Fellowship of Christian Farmers among others.

Governor Jindal Taps LRA to Lead Recovery from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

BATON ROUGE, La. (September 15, 2008) – Governor Bobby Jindal on Monday issued an executive order charging the Louisiana Recovery Authority with leading the state’s recovery from hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

LRA Executive Director Paul Rainwater will serve as the Governor’s Authorized Representative to FEMA for the Public Assistance program in Louisiana for Gustav and Ike. FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses public entities, usually local governments, for repairs to or the rebuilding of damaged facilities.

“Our state has learned many lessons in our more than three years of recovering from devastating hurricanes. We will use this knowledge to speed the pace of recovery for areas affected by Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike,” Rainwater said. “Our commitment to rebuilding safer and stronger is not limited to one region affected by one storm. We must restore our communities all across Louisiana and, working together, we will.”

During his first day in office, Governor Bobby Jindal issued an Executive Order directing the LRA to be responsible for the state’s actions with regard to FEMA’s Public Assistance program for hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) operates the Public Assistance program under Rainwater’s direction.

Working together, the LRA and GOHSEP introduced the state-administered “Express Pay System,” which cut the length of time applicants to the Public Assistance program wait for reimbursements from two months to around one week, speeding the flow of hundreds of millions of recovery funds to affected parishes.

The LRA will also serve as the State Hazard Mitigation Team for the recovery associated with hurricanes Gustav and Ike for purposes of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Sixth Business Counseling Center Opens to Help Small Businesses Impacted By Hurricanes

Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network (LSBDC) and the Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Economic Development Alliance today announced the opening of a Louisiana Business Counseling Center in Lake Charles.

DSS to Operate 41 Disaster Food Stamp Program sites on Monday, Sept. 15th

BATON ROUGE La. (September 15, 2008) – The Department of Social Services (DSS) has taken more than 194,000 applications for Disaster Food Stamps in less than a week and will have 41 sites in operation on Monday, Sept. 15th where eligible Louisiana residents affected by Hurricane Gustav can apply for the federal Disaster Food Stamp Program.

The Department of Social Services recognizes the efforts of local city officials and organizations that have assisted in preparing sites of operation that have been closed due to the impact of Hurricane Ike.

The following sites will be open as of Monday September 15th. Please make note of the locations highlighted in bold with extended hours of operation from 6:00AM – 8:00PM DAILY. All other sites have regular hours of operation from 8:00AM – 8:00PM DAILY

Visit http://emergency.la.gov/Releases/091508FoodStampLocations.html for a complete list of locations.

State Posts Compilation of Hurricane Photos for Google Earth

The state of Louisiana has compiled photos of the state after Hurricane Ike and have placed them into an interactive map so that citizens can better understand the storm’s destructive power in the state. The interactive compilations displays on Google Earth Software pinpointing the location where the photos were taken.

Visit emergency.louisiana.gov for more information.

Calcasieu Parish Announces Feeding Sites, Trash Pickup

From emergency.louisiana.gov…
LAKE CHARLES La. (September 15, 2008) – Local officials have announced that the 24-hour, parish-wide curfew has been lifted. A modified curfew, beginning at 8:00pm – 6:00am, has been issued for all residents. This modified curfew will remain in place until further notice. No vehicular and pedestrian traffic should be on the roadways once the curfew begins, except essential emergency vehicles.

Waste Management will resume their regular garbage collection routes Monday September 15th.  In addition, for a two-day period, the parish will provide two manned drop-off sites for household solid waste only.  This is not for debris from the storm.  The sites are Post Oak Pavilion, 2911 Post Oak Rd., Sulphur and Ward 1 Parish Barn, 461 Parish Rd. , Moss Bluff. The sites will be open Monday and Tuesday only from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The only remaining shelter open in Lake Charles is located at MLK Community Center, 2009 N. Simmons, Lake Charles, 337-491-1497.  This shelter is now being operated by the Red Cross. 

All waterways in Calcasieu Parish are closed to boat traffic.

Feeding sites for Calcasieu Parish are being opened tonight and tomorrow at the following locations:

Second Harvest Food Bank at Church of the King, 2145 Oakpark Blvd, Lake Charles, Hot lunches at lunchtime, cleaning supplies, non-perishable food items, Monday, Sept 15th, noon DAILY

Second Harvest Food Bank at Catholic Charities Lake Charles, 612 Louisiana Avenue at the Sacred Heart School Gym, Lake Charles , non-perishables and food pantry items only, Monday, Sept 15th 2-4pm, DAILY

Second Harvest Food Bank at Greater St. Mary’s, 1401 Moeling Street, Lake Charles, pantry items, clothing, other supplies, Monday, Sept 15th, 9am – 2pm, DAILY

The Salvation Army, Nelson Road WalMart, Lake Charles, hot lunches and hot dinners available daily; also have clean-up kits available, DAILY

The Salvation Army starting Monday, Sept 15, hot lunch and hot dinner at the Thrift Store; also have clean-up kits available, 2008 Hampson, Westlake, DAILY

The Salvation Army starting Monday, Sept 15, clean up kits only, Thrift Store, Moss Bluff (Sam Houston Blvd STARTS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Corps opens up two more Blue Roof collection sites

BATON ROUGE, La., Sept 15, 2008 – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Recovery Field Office, in Baton Rouge, La., has opened up two more Blue Roof Right of Entry collection sites today.  All collection site days and hours of operation are subject to the damage results from Hurricane Ike.

 

Jefferson Parish – Westwego Library, 635 4^th St., Westwego 70094 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Orleans Parish – New Orleans Main Library, 219 Loyola Ave., New Orleans from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

To find the location of all of the Corps’ Blue Roof collections sites in Louisiana,

call 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258)

 

The Corps’ provides FEMA emergency support function 3 (ESF3) mission, response and recovery for temporary roofing. Additional missions include emergency power, commodities and technical assistance to facilitate a rapid recovery from Hurricane Gustav.

 

Governor Jindal Update on State Response Efforts for Hurricane Ike

BATON ROUGE, September 13, 2008 – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal gave an update on state response efforts surrounding the impact of Hurricane Ike in Southwest Louisiana.

Governor Jindal said that the state is continuing its focus on saving lives and helping to rescue people who need to be helped to safety. In total, state agencies worked to rescue an estimated 411 people today, in addition to the 179 rescues reported by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries yesterday. The Governor visited Southwest Louisiana parishes throughout the day, and saw firsthand search and rescue resources working to transport people from flooded areas to higher ground. Governor Jindal surveyed the storm’s impact on Delcambre, Erath, Abbeville, Pecan Island, and Lake Charles today, seeing many homes and businesses flooded throughout the southwest area.

Governor Jindal said, “Our people are working together to save lives and help each other to safety. Today, our Wildlife and Fisheries rescue teams rescued 118 people and National Guard teams rescued 293 people. I saw firsthand several homes that were flooded in Calcasieu and Vermillion Parishes, and we are working with parish leaders to begin recovery operations to get the people in these parishes, and all those affected by this storm all along our coastline, back on their feet as quickly as possible. Tomorrow, I will be meeting with local leaders in Terrebonne, Lafourche, and lower Jefferson parishes, in order to get a firsthand assessment of the damage and the recovery needs in those areas.”

NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS
Louisiana National Guard’s high water vehicles responded to calls as early 2AM today for rescues throughout the storm-effected parishes. In St. Mary Parish, 116 people were rescued from the Franklin Nursing Home, 99 people were evacuated by high water vehicles and parish buses, and 16 were evacuated by ambulance.

As soon as weather permitted, six Blackhawk helicopters began sweeping the coastal parishes moving west along the backside of Hurricane Ike, but reported no individuals on rooftops in need of assistance. National Guard Boat teams commenced operations with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes at daybreak.

Total National Guard rescues to date: 293

National Guard Resources Involved in Search and Rescue:
High Water Vehicles: 255; High Water Vehicle Rescues: 275; Helicopters: 20; Helicopter Rescues: 6; Boats: 41; Boat Rescues: 12

In addition to Search and Rescue missions, National Guard personnel continue to provide security support to eleven Food Stamp Distribution Sites.

Currently, Commodity Distribution sites are up and running in Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Plaquemines parish, and additional points will be added as needed. As of today, we have cleared over four thousand miles of roads and seventeen thousand cubic yards of debris from hurricane Gustav.

Acadia Parish
The National Guard has 152 guardsmen, 82 high water vehicles, 8 boats, and a National Guard Satellite Communication team (ASOS) located in parish.

Assumption Parish
The National Guard has 275 guardsmen in the parish and the 239th Military Police Battalion performing security operations.

Calcasieu Parish
The National Guard has 538 guardsmen and 117 high water rescue vehicles, and two boats in the parish. The Guard established a search and rescue lillypad at Chennault Airfield, and Guard helicopters flew to Carlyss to confirm reports of people in need of evacuation. Upon arrival, the flight crew discovered around 100 people being assisted by local firemen and six of them were determined to be special needs individuals who were immediately air evacuated to Chennault Airport.

Using Boats and high water vehicles, LANG personnel rescued 40 people from neighborhoods throughout Lake Charles, 12 people from the Laberge Casino parking lot, three adults, a two-year-old child and 2 dogs were rescued by a civilian boat and then transferred to a National Guard High Water Vehicle to the evacuation to lillypad. 17 people were rescued from St. Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles, and National Guard boat teams continue to conduct deliberate searches of flooded areas. The National Guard also moved 18 generators from their facility at Gillis Long to Chennault Industrial Air Park.

Cameron Parish
The National Guard has 40 guardsmen in the parish and National Guard boats working with Wildlife and Fisheries rescued 3 adults, 1 toddler and 2 dogs from Choupique Bayou. The Louisiana National Guard Special Reaction Team (SRT) located in Lake Charles is prepared to deploy to Cameron. SRT is a quick reaction team composed of military police and national guardsmen who hold law enforcement occupations in the civilian sector. National Guard Satellite Communication Team (ASOS) will be in place tomorrow, Sunday, 14 September.

Iberia Parish
The National Guard has 157 guardsmen and nine high water rescue vehicles in the parish, and they will be providing additional personnel to assist in patrolling the parish during their 24 hour curfew period.

Jefferson Parish
The National Guard has 141 guardsmen and 58 high water rescue vehicles in the parish. National Guard aircraft airlifting emergency food and water from Houma to Grand Isle. National Guard resources are also conducting security missions and standing by to support the town of Lafitte.

Jefferson Davis Parish
The National Guard has 79 guardsmen and 31 boats in the parish. Additionally, there is a National Guard Satellite Communication team (ASOS) also located there.

Lafourche Parish
There are 128 guardsmen in the parish, and 25 soldiers are assisting in sandbagging a secondary levee in Larose. Lilly pads for search and rescue are located at Thibodeaux Airport, Nicholls State Soccer Field, Raceland Recreation Center and the Greater Lafourche Port Commission Heliport. Three dump trucks have been sent to Larose truck stop to be prepared to handle the West 2nd Street Floodgates.

Orleans Parish
The National Guard has 792 guardsmen and 26 high water rescue vehicles. The Guard continues to provide security in New Orleans and an Engineer Assessment Team has been dispatched to inspect various hot spots in levee system.

Plaquemines Parish
The National Guard has 253 guardsmen and eight high water rescue vehicles in the parish. The Guard completed sandbag operations in Braithwaite and Scarsdale areas.

St. Mary Parish
The National Guard has 40 guardsmen and a high water rescue vehicle in the parish. Guardsmen conducted door-to-door searches looking for personnel in the Pecan Acres subdivision and 18 people were rescued. Also, the Guard assisted in the evacuation of Franklin Hospital, and 12 Military Police are assisting the local sheriff with security efforts.

Terrebonne Parish
The National Guard has 150 guardsmen and a high water rescue vehicle in the parish. 22 people were rescued from locations in Houma, Dulac and Theriot, and parts of Houma Airport have standing water.

Vermillion Parish
The National Guard has 151 guardsmen and 19 high water rescue vehicles in the parish. Reports from guardsmen throughout the parish indicate several roads impassable due to water. The Guard is prepared to launch rescue operations from several locations throughout parish, and there is a National Guard Satellite Communication team (ASOS) located there.

SEARCH AND RESCUE – WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
In total today, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports that they rescued 118 people, 13 dogs, a cat, and four ducks. This is in addition to the 179 people they rescued yesterday before Hurricane Ike made landfall.

There are reports of 42 rescues in Cameron/Calcasieu/Vermillion Parishes, including one case in Calcasieu of a rescue of 8 people, 13 dogs and ducks. Search and rescue missions are actively ongoing in Hackberry where some individuals are now choosing to leave.

Units are working night security patrols by boat in Vermillion Parish, and 32 people have been rescued in Terrebonne, and 26 in Jefferson Parish, where a majority of the Lafitte area is underwater. Six people were rescued in Plaquemines parish, and many more were rescued by the sheriff.

HEALTH CARE
Governor Jindal reported that four nursing homes are on generators, down from six earlier in the day. There are 1,600 people are in special needs shelters, while all medical special needs patients have been returned to Orleans and Jefferson Parishes from the PMAC at LSU. DHH visited 10 nursing homes personally today and will continue to monitor others in storm-effected areas.

Hurricane Ike Makes Landfall, Should Remain Hurricane Through Most of Saturday

From the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov):

AT 400 AM CDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.7 NORTH…LONGITUDE 95.0 WEST OR NEAR BAYTOWN TEXAS. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF
GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF HOUSTON TEXAS.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH.  A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY WITH A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF IKE WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN AND EASTERN TEXAS TODAY…AND INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS TONIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  IKE IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS THE CENTER MOVES FARTHER INLAND. ALTHOUGH IKE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A HURRICANE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 260 MILES.  HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR WELL INLAND NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER.  PORT ARTHUR TEXAS RECENTLY REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 96 MPH.

LINKS from lpb.org/hurricane

School Closures

Ike Evacuations

EMERGENCY RADIO STATIONS

State employees call for closure updates: 1-800-360-9660 or 225-342-0498

MORE LINKS AT LPB.ORG

Visit The Hurricane Information Center for Google map of evacuation and response centers, tweets from reporters covering Ike at the Chronicle and the American-Statesman, Flickr photos and local Craigslist listings for temporary housing. (National Site).