ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. — It’s better to prepare for the storm that never comes than not to prepare for the one that does.
That is especially true for communities like LaPlace in St. John Parish, which still bears scars from Hurricane Ida three years ago.
St. John President Jaclyn Hotard says now is the time to get a game plan.
“There isn’t enough time to really have six or seven days to plan,” Hotard said. “We’ve seen that with contraflow. It’s unable to be implemented because the storms are intensifying and making landfall and there’s not enough time to prepare.”
The plan should include knowing where your family will go if forced to evacuate; stocking up on essentials such as medication, water, food, flashlights, and batteries; and checking on elderly family members or neighbors who may need help evacuating.
It’s also best to document the condition and contents of your home before a storm hits.
“A lot of residents struggled with the fact that, hey, I didn’t think I had to take a picture of every pair of shoes that I have or take a picture of every room and the condition of the room. Insurance companies are going to want those detailed lists of damages and contents,” Hotard said.
Sheriff Mike Tregre says when it’s time to leave, leave…don’t try to ride out a powerful storm.
“We’re going to be here like we’ve been in the past. St. John Sheriff’s Office is ready to go like we’ve always been. I just got a new boat, hopefully, we won’t need any of that, we’re geared up, the manpower is in play, and hopefully, we’ll be alright.”
Tregre is not only the sheriff, he’s also a storm victim.
“We’ve had some unfortunate circumstances here with hurricanes. Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Isaac, my home itself flooded both times.”
Every hurricane is different, but with every storm, there are lessons learned, lessons that have now gone into the emergency planning in St. John for the next big storm that may head this way.
“We are storm weary, but we are storm resilient, and we’ve all made a choice that still being here with these risks is better than being somewhere else,” Hotard said.
St. John has repaired critical infrastructure and upgraded communication technology since Ida,” Hotard added.
St. John leaders are encouraging parish residents to sign up for weather alerts by texting SJPWEATHER to 888-777.
In the event of a mandatory evacuation, the parish will transport residents who need assistance by bus to a shelter in North Louisiana. There are two pickup points, East St. John Preparatory Academy, and the Edgard Courthouse on the Westbank.
Residents with special needs should call the St. John Department of Community Services at 985-536-4955 to register for assistance during an evacuation.
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