PRESS RELEASE DETAIL

Office of the Mayor-President


For release: IMMEDIATELY

Release Date: 06/20/2017

MOHSEP monitors storm activity, urges residents to prepare

SHARON WESTON BROOME


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2017
For media inquiries:
Janene Tate, Communications Director
jtate@brgov.com
Mobile: 504-913-9638


Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness monitors threat of Tropical Disturbance ‘Invest 93L’

BATON ROUGE, La. — With the threat of a low pressure tropical system moving into the Gulf of Mexico, the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP) is consistently monitoring the system. The National Weather Service anticipates that this disturbance, called “Invest 93L,” has an 80 percent chance of developing into a tropical storm within the next 48 hours and a 90 percent chance of further development in the next five days.

At this time, the primary threat is heavy rainfall in East Baton Rouge Parish. This rainfall could result in some areas experiencing flooding. In anticipation of this, sandbags are available for residents to pick up at the following fire stations:

• Station #7 – 5758 Claycut Road
• Station #13 – 835 Sharp Road
• Station #15 – 3150 Brightside Drive

MOHSEP is evaluating additional locations for sandbag distribution.

As always, the agency urges residents to have an emergency plan in place, including a disaster supply kit. This kit should include: non-perishable food, water, extra medicine, important documents, cash, and emergency contact information. Residents should fill up gas cans, charge cell phones and other communication devices, and have extra batteries for radios. Also, they should plan to receive emergency notification alerts and stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for the latest forecast information.

Residents who are living in a FEMA manufactured housing unit should take extra precaution and have an early evacuation plan and destination in place. While it is still undetermined exactly what inclement weather this system may bring to the Capital Region, these housing units are not built to withstand strong winds and rain events.

MOHSEP will continue to coordinate with the National Weather Service, parish municipalities, and local and state officials. For more information about the weather situation and assistance, MOHSEP can be contacted at 225-389-2100. Follow Red Stick Ready on Facebook and Twitter, or download the free mobile application for real-time updates.




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