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CITY URGES
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES
TO GET PREPARED IN CASE OF TROPICAL WEATHER
NEW ORLEANS – Today, the City urged all New
Orleans residents and businesses to get prepared and stay informed as hurricane
season continues. At this time, the City is monitoring Invest 99-L, a tropical
disturbance that could potentially impact southeast U.S. and Gulf coasts,
including New Orleans, next week. The City is committed to ensuring the safety
of all residents, and the public is encouraged to help spread the word and make
the entire community better prepared.
“Public safety is our top priority and right now we are
monitoring Invest 99-L closely,” Mayor Landrieu said. “This tropical
disturbance could potentially impact us next week. Now is the time to make a plan for your family, school or business
about what to do in the event of a hurricane. New Orleans is no stranger to
natural disasters, which is why we strongly encourage every resident to take
action now and plan ahead.”
Get Prepared
Develop a plan in advance to ensure that every family member
knows what to do, who to call and where to go during an emergency.
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Designate an
out-of-town contact that household members can call if separated
during an emergency. Ensure all family members memorize it.
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Choose a
predetermined place to reunite if separated during an emergency.
Have one near home and one outside your neighborhood. Your
predetermined contact will help you decide and communicate which is best.
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Stock Up. Disasters can
strike at any time and in many forms which may not require residents to
evacuate, but would require them to shelter in place without power, running
water or access to groceries. Gather Supplies for
what you'll need to weather events from boil advisories to chemical spills
to Category 1 or 2 hurricanes.
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Practice
alternate routes out. In a disaster roads may be blocked, buses and
city transportation shut down or re-routed, or streets impassable. Each family
member should know all possible exit routes from you home and your
neighborhood.
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Know
how you will evacuate in the case of a man-made or natural disaster,
whether it be through contraflow in your
own car, or locating the
closest evacuspot, where you can get transportation assistance out of town.
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Get
your business NOLA Ready. Apply for a
reentry placard in case of a mandatory evacuation. Make sure your business
is has an business
continuity plan, including where you and your employees go in case of a
mandatory evacuation.
Stay Informed
The City offers multiple ways to stay up-to-the minute on
information and get prepared. By visiting ready.nola.gov,
residents can sign up for NOLA Ready alerts, which will notify residents
of emergency situations including, but not limited to, evacuation information;
chemical spills; shelter-in-place alerts; weather advisories; and,
infrastructure issues, such as boil water advisories. Residents can tailor the
alerts to specific locations, types of alerts and on which devices they will be
notified.
Residents may also get accurate, up-to-the-minute
information and safety tips during an emergency by following NOLA Ready on
Twitter (@NOLAReady). So far, more
than 100,000 people have signed up for some type of NOLA Ready emergency alert.
Residents may also get more information about how to prepare
for emergency situations, such as a suggested disaster supply kit for every
household, at ready.nola.gov.
Special Needs Registry
The City is also encouraging individuals who require special
assistance during emergencies to enroll in its Special Needs Registry. The
registry does not guarantee assistance, but allows first responders to
appropriately plan for, prepare for and respond to community needs.
The Special Needs Registry includes all individuals,
regardless of age, with a chronic condition, disability, special healthcare
need, or who may require additional assistance during an emergency. These
include those who:
- Use life support systems such as oxygen, respirator, ventilator,
dialysis, pacemaker, or are insulin dependent;
- Have mobility disabilities and use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, cane,
or other mobility device;
- Are visually impaired, blind, hard of hearing, or deaf;
- Have speech, cognitive, developmental or mental health disabilities;
and,
- Use assistive animals or a prosthesis.
A family member, caregiver, or authorized representative can
enroll an individual on their behalf. Residents may enroll in the Special Needs
Registry by calling 3-1-1 or by visiting ready.nola.gov.
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