LAKE CHARLES, KATC - With less than a month until the start of hurricane season, Louisiana emergency officials gathered Tuesday in Lake Charles to emphasize the importance of preparedness amid forecasts of an active Atlantic season.
The annual emergency management conference brought together state leaders, local emergency managers, and private-sector partners to coordinate disaster response efforts and provide training.
“Once again, can’t stress the importance,” said Tony Robinson, FEMA Region 6 administrator. “With 26 days until hurricane season, people need to be ready.”
This year, researchers at Colorado State University are predicting 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes—an above-average outlook for the season that begins June 1.
Brigadier Gen. Jason Mahfouz, interim director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), reminded residents that preparedness goes beyond hurricanes.
“Whether it’s a hurricane which you can see coming from several days away or a flash flooding event like the one we are experiencing today, I would encourage everyone to work with your local officials to make a plan,” Mahfouz said.
The conference featured training workshops and coordination sessions with vendors, including PointClickCare, a company that assists in locating displaced individuals using healthcare data.
“Instead of trying to call facilities one-by-one and call different hospitals, you can just log into the tool, and see if they’ve presented at a healthcare facility,” said Natalie Hanrion, a representative from PointClickCare.
Despite a reduction in FEMA staffing this year, officials expressed confidence in their disaster response capabilities, pointing to increased reliance on local resources and coordination with the Louisiana National Guard.
One area of concern remains Vermilion Parish, one of the only coastal parishes without a levee system. Mahfouz encouraged residents there and statewide to plan for evacuation early if forecasts indicate a threat.
“The prudent thing to do is to prepare for an evacuation if local officials and the weather forecast gives you an indication that where you are is subject to flooding,” he said. “It’s so much easier to assist citizens when they are outside of harm's way rather than having to go get them out of flooding conditions.”
Officials also noted that the National Guard will take on a greater role in disaster response this year, as agencies work together to prepare for the months ahead.
