Hornets win lottery, will likely land UK star Davis
June 5, 2012
St. Mary says it will approach storm season with caution
June 5, 2012
Disaster preparation means getting to work long before television weather networks announce where storms are approaching the U.S. coast. For members of the Terrebonne Parish Emergency Operation Center it is a year-round job that intensifies during the June 1 through Nov. 30 Hurricane Season.
Emergency Operation Center Director Earl Eues said at the opening of this season that although there might not be much change at the central facility on Capital Boulevard or the equipment it houses, some of the plans of action have been upgraded.
To better help everyone understand the procedures parish officials will take before and after a storm, Eues offered a rundown of his agency’s action plan.
“We have an all hazards operation plan that is upgraded during the year,” he said. “Anytime we find things to add to it, we do. It is a working document because it is always updated.”
The Terrebonne EOC hurricane plans move into action once a tropical system is identified in the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean.
Entering into active preparation involves beginning the ongoing process of monitoring and watching. The Terrebonne facility will be in close contact with the National Weather Service office in Slidell for advisories and updates.
Eues said this is the initial activation position when his operation is in contact with the governor’s office and state level Homeland Security and Preparedness. “We will start posting updates on the parish website, Facebook and Twitter,” he said.
Activity expands when a storm is calculated as being five days away and tropical storms are threatening the Gulf of Mexico. Monitoring continues and notification is given to government offices and non-government agencies. Monitoring and public postings on social media and websites continue.
When the weather system is four days from tropical storm force winds hitting the parish, Eues and his crew will activate 12-hour schedules and conduct staff meetings at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
This is the point when, in addition to continued monitoring and posting of information, they will officially notify parish administration, council members, law enforcement agencies, and the parish attorney to prepare an Emergency Declaration Notice.
The checklist of activity expands to includes notifying neighboring parishes of weather conditions, arranging plans with the school district for using school buses for possible evacuation, test all equipment, motor vehicles, supplies and generators for activation, and contact the public works department for sandbag placement.
“This is an important time because we are going to have to make a decision if we are going to evacuate or not,” Eues said.
As monitoring of conditions continues, pre-trained personnel spring into action to perform their individual tasks for active readiness.
When the time has arrived that tropical storm winds are 3.5 days away, the EOC will shift into 24-hour operation. They continue to monitor conditions, complete tasks in preparation for the event, and keep local media outlets abreast of developments in addition to continued social media use.
Three days from the first feel of tropical force winds, discussion begins involving possible evacuation orders and a declaration of evacuation is drafted.
“When we get two and a half days out that is when we need to start evacuating special needs people, because we know we are in the target to be hit by a storm,” Eues said. “Then at H-50 hours [2.08 days from impact] we will tell the general population that we are in an evacuation.”
A growing list of duties is addressed at this time by the EOC, law enforcement, government agencies and hospitals. Pre-planned evacuation steps are implemented, and the population is set to move. People requiring 24-hour care will be transported to designated Department of Health and Hospital shelters.
“We always plan one storm ahead,” Eues said. “If [the National Weather Service] has it as a Category 1, we plan like it is a Category 2. If it is a two we plan on a three. So even with a Category 2 storm we have to plan like it is a three because it can change so quickly.”
Eues also explained that what might be considered as an early evacuation time for some people is done so as to avoid heavy traffic coming out of New Orleans and prevent evacuees headed in that direction from being caught in contra-flow traffic.
“Evacuation takes time,” he said. “Remember that different departments have things they are taking care of. Everybody has their own operation plan of what they are going to do.”
Two days away from landfall the EOC could be moved from its regular location to the South Central Planning and Development Commission headquarters as it is a higher storm grade structure. “This is a Category 2 building and South Central is a Category 4, so I’m going to have to go to a stronger building,” Eues said.
The EOC plans to have shelters open in Monroe and locally 36 hours before a storm makes landfall. He advises those that go to shelters to take supplies, food and water that will sustain them for 72 hours after the storm hits.
In the final 24 hours, all hurricane activities should be completed by parish departments. “That gives us time to meet as a group and hunker down for the storm,” Eues said. “When the storm hits we start moving into recovery.”
Following a storm, those officials that remained in the area will document damage and determine a plan of action to gradually bring the population back to the area.
Officials say they seek to let people back when it’s safe.
Twelve to 24 hours following the storm will involve removal of debris, restoration of electric and water services where possible, rescue and recovery activity and determining at what points reentry of the general population will take place.
Communications will be essential in the process, Eues said. Because of this the EOC has launched a new website to offer residents emergency information on matters beyond hurricanes. The center also offers an emergency readiness guide.
The EOC plans are in constant motion and include continual activity for improvement.
A new Category 5 strength EOC facility is planned for construction within the next three years on two acres in Gray. The facility, along with working plans, will offer upgraded equipment and capabilities to better serve parish residents from the threats of hurricanes and other threats of disaster. For Eues it is all just part of the continual emergency plan.
Terrebonne Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Earl Eues reviews hurricane tracking information with operations center assistant director Ben Walker and executive assistant Tammy Duplantis. Eues says constant preparation is not difficult with advance planning.
