|
Search
|
|
|
Search
|
Be PreparedOne of the most important questions you must ask yourself is "Should I evacuate?"
If you are asked to evacuate, you should do so without delay. But, unless you live in a coastal or low-lying area, an area that floods frequently or in manufactured housing, it is unlikely that emergency managers will ask you to evacuate. That means that is important for you and your family to have a plan that makes you safe as possible in your home. NewOrleans.com will provide you with the planning tools you need for your safety.
Click here for current Contraflow Maps and more!!!
The American Red Cross Cross and The Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW) distributes copies of the Louisiana Citizen Awareness & Disaster Evacuation Guide. Guides are intended for the Greater New Orleans, Lafayette & Lake Charles citizens who will use the maps and contra-flow routes to evacuate when disasters threaten the coastal areas.
Click here for printable PDFs offering contraflow maps, evacuation routes and even helpful telephone numbers and checklists!
- Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.
- Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.
- Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be
measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
- Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
- Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days.
- Non-perishable Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days. Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and juices, high energy foods, vitamins, condimens, foods for infants or the elderly, snack foods, non-electric can opener, cooking tools, fuel and paper plates, plastic utensils
- Bedding - blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, etc.
- Clothing - at least one complete change of clothing per person as well as seasonal gear, rain gear, sturdy shoes or work boots, sunglasses and a hat
- Develop a family hurricane preparedness plan before an actual storm threatens your area. If your family hurricane preparedness plan includes evacuation to a safer location for any of the reasons specified with in this web site, then it is important to consider the following points:
- If ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay your departure. If possible, leave before local officials issue an evacuation order for your area. Even a slight delay in starting your evacuation will result in significantly longer travel times as traffic congestion worsens.
Hurricanes cause damage to homes and property, destroy furniture and keepsakes, and disrupt your life for weeks or months at a time. In this guide, we outline Five Spots where a little work can make a big difference in how well your home survives a hurricane.
- Shutters
- Shingles
- Soffits
- Seals
- Surroundings
By paying attention to these Spots, you reduce the chance wind and water will damage your home. Some of these projects may even be important for relatively new homes if they have not been built using the latest in hurricane resistant materials and with the right attention to details. If you are handy with a hammer, saw, caulk gun and can work on a ladder, you can do much of the work yourself. Most of these projects can be accomplished in a day or less. And by doing them now, you’ll have ample time just before a hurricane strikes to install protection devices and take care of last minute chores.
Our pets are part of our families. We should make an effort to make sure they are well protected and cared for in emergency situations. Contact your veterinarian or local humane society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency.
BEFORE THE DISASTER
- Make sure that your pets are current on their vaccinations. Pet shelters may require proof of vaccines.
- Have a current photograph
- Keep a collar with identification on your pet and have a leash on hand to control your pet.
- Have a properly sized pet carrier for each animal - carriers should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around.
- Plan your evacuation strategy and don't forget your pet! Specialized pet shelters, animal control shelters, veterinary clinics and friends and relatives out of harm's way are ALL potential refuges for your pet during a disaster.
- If you plan to shelter your pet - work it into your evacuation route planning.