New Orleans is a coastal city. Help restore marshlands that protect us from storms.

Happy Holidays, New Orleans!

This holiday season, take a moment to reflect on our landscape that helps keep us safe. Coastal wetlands are one of our first lines of defense when dangerous storms approach the city. Marsh helps to slow storm surge, relieve pressure on our levee system, and serves as an important habitat for our coastal creatures.  

But with climate change, sea-level rise, and histories of river control and dredging, these wetlands are part of our disappearing coast. Through the State's Coastal Master Plan and projects like the New Orleans East Landbridge -- which passed a crucial step toward partial construction funding this month -- we hope to slow coastal erosion and maintain our marsh.

You can help too. Recycle your Christmas tree to help build back marsh in Bayou Sauvage. Place your tree curbside on your second collection day between Jan. 10 and Jan. 12, 2019 for properties served by Richard's Disposal and Metro Services and on Jan. 9, 2019 for properties in the French Quarter and DDD served by Empire Services.

Happy holidays from all of us in the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness!

Until next year,

- The Team at NOLA Ready
Helping you stay #ReadyYearRound

Get your 2019 #ReadyYearRound wall calendar

Our #ReadyYearRound wall calendars are back by popular demand. Get your 2019 calendar with new emergency preparedness tips and new illustrations by local artist John Clark IV. Available now at City Hall and in stock soon at all NORD recreation centers and New Orleans Public Library branches.

View calendar

Prep your home for winter weather this season.

Ahead of potential winter weather this season, prep your home. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they're working. Insulate exposed pipes under your house to protect against freezing. And, decorate safely for the holidays.

See more winter weather tips

Volunteer to participate in February's Full-Scale Complex Coordinated Attack Exercise.

The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is seeking 200 volunteers to participate in a full-scale exercise simulating a complex attack on a parade on Fri. Feb. 15, 2019. Volunteers will be assigned various roles to play in the tactical exercise, including those who are wounded, deceased, or separated from family members.

Register to volunteer

NOLA Ready is the City of New Orleans' emergency preparedness campaign, managed by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 

This message contains emergency preparedness information. Emergency alerts are sent through a separate program. To sign up for emergency alerts, text your zip code to 888777 or go to http://ready.nola.gov/alerts.