Hurricane Delta is expected to to become a Major Hurricane with winds exceeding 110 miles per hour and make landfall in the northern Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana and will break the record for the most named Atlantic storms in October. The last time we had so many Atlantic storms was in 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted Louisiana.
Delta became a Hurricane Monday, October 5th and expected to become a Major Hurricane on Wednesday, October 7th.. The storm is expected to travel in a northwesterly direction until it turns north Thursday afternoon towards Louisiana.
There are six basics that you should stock for your disaster supply kit: water, food, clothing and bedding, first aid supplies, tools and emergency supplies and special items. Keep these items in a waterproof container that can be easily transported from your home to your car and your safe place. Assemble your kit now to allow for immediate action during an emergency. Your family’s disaster supply kit should include at least a three-day supply of:
Water – One gallon of water per person per day
Non-perishable food – Select food items that are compact and lightweight. Include the following items:Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Canned juices
High energy foods
Vitamins
Comfort goods
Condiments
Food for infant
Clothing and bedding – Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person and the following weather-appropriate items:
Sturdy shoes or work boots
Rain gear
Blankets or sleeping bags
Hat and gloves
Thermal underwear
Sunglasses
First aid supplies – Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car
Tools and emergency supplies
Emergency Preparedness manual
Flashlight and extra batteries
Non-electric can opener, utility knife
Tube tent
Tape
Matches in a waterproof container
Plastic storage containers
Paper, pencil
Medicine dropper
Whistle
Sanitation supplies
Louisiana Citizen Awareness and Disaster Evacuation Guide
Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
Cash or traveler’s checks, change
Fire extinguisher: small canister ABCtype
Pliers
Compass
Aluminum foil
Signal flare
Needles, thread
Shut-off wrench to turn off household gas and water
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
Infant and medical supplies: Remember supplies for family members with special requirements,such as infants, elderly, persons with disabilities and persons taking medication
Passports, social security cards and immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card account numbers and company addresses
Inventory of valuable household goods and important telephone numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
Store your kit in a place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the supply kit in the trunk of your car. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Replace your stored food every six months. Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc.
EMERGENCY SHELTER INFORMATION POINTS
Evacuation Area of the State
Information Point Location
Address
Re-entry from Mississippi on Us 65 & US 84
Tourist Welcome Center
US 65 & 84
1401 Carter St. (US 84)
Vidalia, LA
Re-entry from Mississippi on I-20
Tourist Welcome Center
836 I-20 West
Tallulah, LA
From the Southeast area on LA 1
Paragon Casino
711 Paragon Place
Marksville, LA
From the Southeast/Central areas on I-49
Sammy’s Truck Stop
I-49, Exit 53
3601 LA 115 W
Bunkie, LA
From the Southeast/Central areas on US 71
Med Express Office
7525 US 71
Alexandria, LA
From the Southeast/Southwest/Central areas on US 171 and I-49
Setting up a family communications plan ahead of time will help make sure you and your family can connect aseasily and quickly as possible.
Designate an individual outside of the state to serve as a family point of contact. (After a disaster, it’soften easier to call out-of-state than within the affected area.)
Make sure that all family members know who this person is and how to contact him/her.
After a disaster or evacuation, all family members should make contact with the designated individual.Try choosing a certain time for everyone to check in.
RADIO FREQUENCY SYSTEM
Louisiana Emergency Alert System
The following radio stations are key participants in the Louisiana Emergency Alert System. In the
event of an emergency, these stations will broadcast emergency information.
Alexandria:
AM 970 (KSYL)
AM 580/FM 96.9 (KZMZ)
FM 93.1 (KQID)
Baton Rouge:
AM 1150 (WJB)
FM 102.5 (WFMF)
Crowley:
FM 102.9 (KAJN)
Lafayette:
AM 1330 (KVOL)
FM 99.9 (KTDY)
Lake Charles:
AM 1470 (KLCL)
FM 99.5 (KHLA)
New Orleans:
AM 870 (WWL)
FM 101.9 (WLMG)
Northeast:
AM 540/FM 101.9 (KNOE)
Ruston:
AM 1490 (KRUS)
FM 107.5 (KXKZ)
Shreveport:
AM 1130/FM 94.5 (KWKH)
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather
information direct from a nearby National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts National Weather
Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day.
PUBLIC SHELTER INFORMATION
Shelters are operated by trained individuals and ensure that the safety, security, and basic needs of its
residents are met.
What to bring to a shelter?
Change of clothing, blanket, and pillow for each family member
Your disaster supply kit, including food, medications, comfort items, and special items for infant orelderly family members.
What NOT to bring?
There are no weapons, drugs, alcohol, or pets (service animals excluded) allowed in shelters.
SHELTER-IN-PLACE INFORMATION
“Sheltering in place” is a precaution aimed at keeping citizens safe while remaining indoors. This is not
the same thing as evacuating ta shelter and not recommended for hurricanes. When a “shelter-in-place”
order is given by either local or state government, citizens within the affected area should take the
following protective measures:
Get indoors and close all windows and doors.
Turn off all sources of outside air (i.e. air conditioners and ventilation fans/ducts).
Remain indoors until notified that it is safe to move outdoors.
Stay tuned tyour local radi/television station treceive official notices.
Limit telephone usage to emergency calls only. This is to prevent the telephone lines from beingoverloaded with non-emergency calls.
SEVERE WEATHER TERMS TO KNOW…
Natural disasters most likely to occur in Louisiana, particularly in low-lying areas bordering the Gulf ofMexico, include hurricanes and flooding due to heavy rains. Residents should be familiar with several terms that describe severe weather conditions:
Storm Surge: An abnormal rise of the sea along a shore as the result, primarily of the winds from a storm.
Watch: Adverse conditions are possible in the specified area of the WATCH, usually within 36 hour. It may be applied tthe thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, or hurricanes.
Warning: Adverse conditions are expected in the specified area of the WARNING, usually within 24hours. May be applied tthunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, or hurricanes.
If you are a pet owner, your family’s disaster plan must include your pets. Bring pets indoors at the first sign of danger. If you must evacuate, the best thing you can do to protect your pet is to evacuate them too.
Identify boarding facilities, veterinarians, or hotels outside of the affected areas that can accept your pets. If you have notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations.
Pet-friendly shelters may be opened during an evacuation. This information will be available at shelter information points.
Create a disaster readiness kit for your pet including food, water, first aid supplies, feeding dishes, leashes, carrier, blanket, etc.
Make sure all family members are aware of these preparations.
