City's Public Safety Team Provides Support in Response to Hurricane Laura

The City of New Orleans is providing support for communities in neighboring parishes that will be impacted by Hurricane Laura. The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD), New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) are supporting efforts in the areas impacted by the Category 4 hurricane.

New Orleans Fire Department

NOFD is a part of Louisiana Task Force 1, which also includes public safety personnel from Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes and will be deployed for the response. As part of this deployment, NOFD will provide five boats to Louisiana Task Force 1.

Orleans Parish Communication District

OPCD is coordinating with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) to prepare a tactical dispatch team for possible deployment to support the emergency communications functions as needed. OPCD is working with technology partners to provide real-time location information should the local communications centers lose operational capacity. OPCD also manages the Louisiana Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (LA-TERT), a national network of trained response teams designed to help ensure 9-1-1 systems remain operational and effective during emergency events. For more information on LA-TERT, please click on this link.

New Orleans EMS

EMS will provide Louisiana Task Force 1 with three boats. Additionally, EMS is standing by to provide additional assets and support as requested.

New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

NOHSEP will provide an incident management team to the impacted areas that will assist with on-site operations and rescue support. Additionally, NOHSEP is connecting local and national disaster-response volunteer organizations who have helped New Orleans in the past with emergency management partners in the Southwest Louisiana parishes and at the State level. These organizations include World Central Kitchen, Operation BBQ Relief, Americares, Second Harvest Food Bank, Team Rubicon, SBP, and others.

Evacuees from Southwest Louisiana should call 2-1-1 for information on shelters and resources. Text LAGOV to 67283 for statewide updates.