With the beginning of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season started, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said southeast Louisiana residents should begin making plans so they can be prepared if a storm threatens our area.
Preparing for hurricane season, which runs June 1 through Nov. 30, should be something residents in our area are already accustomed to doing, the Sheriff said.
“We should always be mindful of being prepared for hurricane season,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Remember, we are so close to the Gulf of Mexico, you can’t ignore the possibility of a hurricane.”
Sheriff Pohlmann said the Sheriff’s Office trains year-round for any type of rain event flooding and in case a tropical system threatens our area and possibly forces the evacuation of the parish.
For instance, SBSO members from various divisions recently trained alongside members of the St. Bernard Fire Department, on several different types of boats from the sheriff’s Marine Division in order to be prepared to immediately patrol neighborhoods in case of any type of flooding.
The Sheriff’s Office also has a high-water truck that is ideal for rescue or to haul personnel or equipment to respond to a storm.
In the event of an ordered evacuation, Sheriff Pohlmann said, officers will make extra patrols through neighborhoods, as well as by boat along waterways if necessary, to protect property in the parish.
“We don’t want residents making a bad decision to stay simply out of concern over a possible burglar,’’ the Sheriff said.
Sheriff Pohlmann recommends having a plan on where you will go in the event an evacuation is ordered or recommended, and stocking up one certain items like non-perishable food, water, batteries, first aid supplies and medications in the event you choose to stay during a storm and lose electricity for more than a day.
St. Bernard residents with special needs or those who have no resources to evacuate themselves are eligible for assistance in evacuating should a mandatory evacuation be called in the parish, either due to a hurricane or another type of emergency which might arise. Residents can register with the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness by calling (504) 278-4268 or visiting sbpg.net and clicking departments.
The Sheriff said always remember to gather and have on hand your important records in a waterproof, portable container. Include insurance papers or account numbers, an inventory of household goods, checks and credit cards, family records such as birth, marriage and death certificates, and important telephone numbers.
Taking photos of your home and its contents before a storm approaches also is a good idea for insurance purposes, the Sheriff said.
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