The Evangeline Parish 9-1-1 office and the Office of Emergency Preparedness have begun stocking up on necessary items to have for their employees in case a natural disaster takes place in the parish. (Inset) At the 9-1-1 and OEP office, there are also radios charged and ready to be passed out to parish officials such as Evangeline Parish Police Jurors to make communication easier if a hurricane would happen to pass through the parish. (Gazette photos by Elizabeth West)
By: ELIZABETH WEST
Associate Editor
Hurricane season is here and Liz Hill said “the more prepared you are, the less fear you will have” when the storm is upon you.
The best way to be prepared according to Hill, who is the director of Evangeline Parish 9-1-1 and the Office of Emergency Preparedness, is by having a “plan in place ahead of time for you and your family.”
In 2002, Hurricane Lili’s destruction left Evangeline Parish residents without electricity for eight days and for those who waited until days before the storm rolled through to stock up on supplies it was too late. According to Hill, “when you wait until the last minute to purchase emergency items the inventory will be wiped out. That’s why it is crucial to have a plan in place long before a storm hits.”
One reason having a plan is important according to Hill is because “the state, local, and federal government will not be giving handouts like they did for Hurricanes Rita and Katrina anymore.”
In 2005, as Rita and Katrina were brewing in the Gulf of Mexico and preparing to make landfall, thousands of Louisiana citizens were traveling north in an effort to escape the category 5 hurricanes. As they moved north, this meant more people were shopping for supplies in areas that normally had less customers.
Hill said, “The people leaving their homes during a storm are also trying to purchase emergency items, and these outsiders deplete our resources. That’s just another reason why already having the items you need is important.”
The obvious items that individuals think to purchase when preparing for a storm is water and canned foods, but according to Hill it’s not just the food that is important to remember to stock up on.
“One thing that people forget to have a plan for is their medicine,” said Hill. “For medicines like insulin, which needs to be refrigerated, people need to make sure and either have a generator or have plans to go to a place where there will be electricity so that you can keep your insulin refrigerated.”
If you will not have access to a generator or a place with electricity, Hill said there are some tricks to make your freezer stay cool for a little longer.
“Fill as many plastic containers as you can with water and put them in your freezer,” said Hill. “This will give you extra drinking water, as well as keep your freezer cooler for longer. That will give you a place to store your medicine until you are able to find another way to keep it cold.”
Other items that Hill said are crucial to remember to have are: diapers, games for children to keep them occupied, flash lights, radio, phone chargers, full tank of gas in a vehicle, items for pets, and cash because the ATM may not be working.
While purchasing these items can get costly, Hill advises people to “try to purchase a few items every pay period and keep them stored together in a plastic tote or a container.” She then added, “If you do that, then you will be able to have these items ready year around for other natural disasters that could take place.”
If you plan on leaving your house before the storm, Hill said, “It is important to know where Louisiana’s Mega Shelters are located. If you are going to leave plan your route. It took some of my good friends 16 hours to get to here from New Orleans during Katrina, so if you know back roads try to take them. That will lessen how long you will be on the road.”
For the people who stay at their home during a storm, Hill says their greatest danger comes after the hurricane has passed.
“What scares me more than the actual hurricane, because of the area we live in, is the tornadoes that come after,” said Hill. “After Hurricane Lili, a tornado spun off and killed two people in the Chataignier area. That’s why it is important to have a radio, so that you can make sure you have gotten the clear before you go out of your home.”
When it comes to making sure that you and your family are as prepared as you can be for a hurricane, there are emergency preparedness guides that can be picked up at the 9-1-1 office located at Industrial Park. These informative pamphlets can also be found at each branch of the Evangeline Parish Library.
Hurricane season will last until November 30th, so it is time to get prepared for the worst.
Hill said, “You think more clearly before a storm rather than during, so don’t wait to make your plan.”