Lafourche prep continues

For the past few years, Lafourche Parish has not had a major hurricane. Nothing like Katrina in 2005, anyway.

The last major storm to pass through the area was Isaac in 2012, which came ashore as a low-strength Category 1 and did more damage in St. John the Baptist and Jefferson parishes. However, Lafourche Parish officials say they can’t get complacent, because every storm season and every storm is different.

The predictions for this year’s season indicate a “below normal” season, with forecasters from the National Weather Service and Colorado State University indicating no more than three major storms.

However those predictions mean little in reality. Mark Riley, deputy director for disaster recovery in the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, said 2005, the year of Katrina, was also supposed to be a year of low hurricane activity.

Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph said she thinks the parish is ready for this year’s hurricane season.

“Numerous pump stations have been constructed and existing pumps have been improved and upgraded,” she noted.

The parish owns and operates more than 60 pump stations, Don Edwards, the parish’s director of public works, said.

The pumps are operated by electricity, diesel or natural gas. Six of the pumps have recently been modified to be able to run on either electricity or natural gas, in case a storm knocks out electricity.

“Our primary objective is to have reliable pumping when we need it most, which is during intense storms, which usually have power outages. Then it becomes beneficial to have pumps that operate with natural gas or diesel,” Edwards said.

Recent heavy rains and winds caused a couple of problems in the Thibodaux/Chackbay area, which caused some damage that required a lot of clean up.

Chris Boudreaux, the parish’s director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said, “Our pumps run during any rain event in the parish, so they run year round and our public works department has a program in place to do maintenance on the pumps year round.”

Plans are in place for dealing with a hurricane or any storm that comes with high wind speeds and rain, he said. The main problem, he said, is trash getting to the pumps blocking the screens.

Boudreaux said many factors determine what decisions are made when the parish is in the cone of probability, such as anticipated rain amounts, wind speeds, where the storm will hit and time of day.

“A lot depends on the storm and where it is, and whether or not we’ll take a direct hit,” he said.

When the situation warrants, the parish issues either a shelter in place or a mandatory evacuation order. The evacuation order means “everybody out,” Boudreaux said.

“Saving lives is paramount,” during a storm, Randolph said, “but people don’t like to evacuate, because they have to leave so much behind, and the stress is difficult. And what happens is beyond their control.”

Riley said one reason people don’t like to leave home is because of pets. He noted this is not just a local problem, but a national one.

When a shelter in place order is issued, citizens are expected to get their own supplies, but the parish lets them know where they can get sandbags.

After a storm, there are points of distribution for water and ice.

Under an “everybody out” order, people are expected to take care of their own transportation out of harm’s way and for their lodging.

In most cases, people can accommodate their pets. But for those who do not have the resources to leave on their own, however, the parish provides transportation and shelter.

There are busses to Monroe, where shelters are available, but travelers are still required to bring at least a three-day supply of food and water. And they can take their pets, which are sheltered at a separate location.

The evacuation of persons with special transportation needs, like those who require movement by ambulance, are handled through the Department of Hospitals. Most nursing homes, Boudreaux said, have evacuation plans of their own.

Charlene Rodriguez, director of the parish Council on Aging, said her office has forms its homebound clients and Senior Center patrons complete, which are forwarded to the parish government, so their names can be placed on the list of those who need assistance.

When a mandatory evacuation order is issued, parish officials expect everybody to leave, but there are three

shelters of last resort in the parish, Boudreaux said. Only a skeleton crew that monitors the situation remains under mandatory evacuation orders, Randolph said.

For these people, the parish has two storm proof bunkers for the worst storms, which were provided by Wildlife and Fisheries, according to Randolph. These are completely equipped with sleeping quarters, a kitchen and bath, and are computer friendly. Otherwise, the crew will be housed in the Mathews complex, “which has been retrofitted to accommodate for the basic necessities for the duration of a storm,” Randolph said.

The main concern is saving lives and property, Boudreaux and Randolph agreed. The levees and pumps are designed to save property, and sheltering and evacuation are designed to save lives. Boudreaux said he feels the parish is more prepared to handle evacuations since Katrina, especially when it comes to notifying the public about evacuation orders.

‘We also let people know where supplies like water, sandbags and MREs are available. But safety is first.’

Chris Boudreaux

“We use press releases, social media and the parish also has a call-out system,” he said. “We also let people know where supplies like water, sand bags and MREs are available. But safety is first.”

Windell Curole, the general manager of the South Lafourche Levee District, said there have been major improvements, especially when it comes to elevations.

“In some areas we’ve increased elevations by 4 to 5 feet; and by next year will reach the goal of 16-foot elevations on the south end and 13 on the north end,” Curole said. “We’ve been working on this for 10 years and we work real hard to have the pumps working; when all the pumps are working they can handle 1.2 million gallons of water per minute, which equals about 5 inches of rain in 24 hours.”

Curole noted one weak area might be the Intracoastal Canal area, where there is only a 7-foot elevation, but sheet piles are being added along that area to increase the elevation to 13 feet. That should be in place by Aug. 15, which is the beginning of serious hurricane activity.

Hurricane damage like this is what Lafourche Parish officials want to prevent with increased protection plans.

THE TIMES/FILE