Mayor Cantrell Updates Residents Sunday On Tropical Storm Cristobal

Today, Mayor LaToya Cantrell updated residents on the developments and progress of Tropical Storm Cristobal, with impacts already affecting the City. Mayor Cantrell was briefed this morning by public safety and related agencies and partners as part of the activation of the City’s Emergency Operations Center, coordinated by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP).

“We are prepared for Tropical Storm Cristobal as it makes its way toward the region. We need our residents to stay weather aware: shelter in place, make sure you have essential supplies, secure your garbage and recycling bins, park your cars on higher ground, and report any flooding or other adverse weather impacts in your neighborhood to 3-1-1,” said Mayor Cantrell. “We will continue to update our residents of the storm’s path and potential impacts. We have been dealing with some serious challenges these past few weeks, but we remain resilient and will get through this together.”

The National Weather Service expects the primary impacts from Cristobal to be heavy rain, coastal flooding and high winds, with rainfall totals currently predicted in the 6-to-8-inch range in New Orleans; locally, higher amounts are possible. A rare "high risk" of flash flooding has been highlighted for portions of southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans. The greatest risk for heavy rainfall currently will be today through Monday. Sustained tropical storm-force winds will be possible, which could cause downed trees and power lines. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is occurring, with an expected surge of 3 to 5 feet in coastal areas outside the levee system and 1 to 3 feet on Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas.

• A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the north central Gulf coast, including New Orleans.
• A Storm Surge Warning remains in effect for Lake Borgne and areas outside of levee protection. This includes Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou but does not apply to locations inside the levee system.
• A Flood Watch remains in effect through Tuesday morning.

Residents are encouraged to shelter indoors during dangerous storm conditions. Street flooding can be life-threatening. Call 9-1-1 to report major street flooding and never drive through water on the road. Real-time reports of street flooding can be found at streetwise.nola.gov. Should high winds cause power outages, residents are urged to stay clear of downed power lines and keep generators outside and away from their homes.

Sign up for text updates by texting CRISTOBAL to 888777. Follow @nolaready on social media, and see all storm updates on ready.nola.gov.

Public Safety Preparations Continue

NEW ORLEANS OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS (NOHSEP)

Continues to monitor and prepare for potential impacts from this system. The City’s Emergency Operations Center will remain activated through the duration of this event. Representatives from public safety, infrastructure and human services agencies will be in the Emergency Operations Center 24/7 to monitor and respond to storm-related incidents. Additionally, the Real-Time Crime Center will continue its normal 24/7 operations and will assist in monitoring real-time weather impacts across the city.

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT (NOPD)

NOPD status is alert level one and all officers are on 12-hour shifts. We advise residents not to drive through standing water. We stand ready to respond in case of any emergency. Residents are reminded to never drive through flooded areas and to call 9-1-1 to report major flooding on the road.

NEW ORLEANS FIRE DEPARTMENT (NOFD)

The NOFD is fully staffed, all engine houses have completed pre-storm preparations and all generators and apparatus are fully fueled. High-water and stake-body trucks are strategically placed for water rescue and are monitoring for anticipation of rising water in Venetian Isles.

ORLEANS PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT (OPCD)

The Orleans Parish Communication District is fully prepared to meet the needs of residents during this weather event. OPCD is operating at full capacity and remains prepared to respond to the impacts of Tropical Storm Cristobal. Redundancies have been tested and are in place to ensure there are no interruptions of service. Residents are reminded to report street flooding by dialing 9-1-1 and report clogged catch basins by dialing 3-1-1.

NEW ORLEANS HEALTH DEPARTMENT (NOHD)

The New Orleans Health Department has been monitoring the needs of our healthcare facilities and vulnerable populations. The homeless shelters are currently open and accepting individuals to shelter through the storm. We have received more than 300 calls to the Special Needs Registry and have shelters teams ready if people are unable to remain in their homes. If you have medical or mobility concerns and need extra assistance, you can enroll in the Special Needs Registry by calling 3-1-1 or going to ready.nola.gov.

NEW ORLEANS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (NOEMS)

NOEMS is prepared for Tropical Storm Cristobal, with additional personnel and high-water equipment on standby. Our EMTs and paramedics will maintain their normal response to 9-1-1 calls as long as winds allow us to safely do so. As of June 7, at 6 a.m., we do not anticipate any changes in service.

Infrastructure Preparations Continue

SEWERAGE AND WATER BOARD OF NEW ORLEANS (SWBNO)

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) has fully staffed its drainage pump stations and Emergency Operations Center, taking into account safety practices to reduce the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team will remain on duty throughout the course of this event.

All 99 drainage pumps are operational. Eighteen of 21 smaller constant-duty pumps are operational; three are down for maintenance. Four turbines, four of five Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) generators, and four frequency changers are available, capable of producing more than 60 megawatts of power. Turbine 5 is down since the explosion in December 2019, and operations lost 20 megawatts of redundant 25 Hz power. EMD #2 is out of service and lost 2.5 megawatts of redundant 25 Hz power.

One of three underpass pumps at Press Drive are out of service. All other underpass stations are operational at full capacity. Residents are urged to avoid flooded streets, underpasses and low-lying areas where water may pool.

ENTERGY LOUISIANA

A team of more than 2,700 crew members are mobilized throughout the state to quickly and safely respond to power outages due to the storm. As a result of our state crew staffing levels, we have sufficient resources to increase crews in Orleans parish where required. Our crews are actively working to restore power while weather conditions permit (in particular winds below 30 mph). Crews will adhere to all CDC and state guidance, including social distancing, and we ask that customers do the same by steering clear of work zones.

Entergy will establish a physical presence at the EOC beginning at approximately noon today and will continue to do so through the storm. Entergy is in close communication with our partners at the Sewerage & Water Board as we monitor and respond to the storm. Customers should call 1-800-ENTERGY to report outages or if they see downed wires. More information is available at entergystormcenter.com. Customers are encouraged to download the Entergy app at entergyapp.com and sign up for text alerts by texting REG to 368374.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS (DPW)

DPW has and will continue to clean and unclog catch basins, as well as flush drain lines in flood-prone areas. Today, five vac truck crews are operating across the city. For construction projects, DPW is monitoring all active construction sites to ensure that they remain secured. Parking restrictions on neutral grounds and sidewalks are suspended until further notice. Residents are reminded not to block intersections, bike paths or streetcar tracks.

DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY & PERMITS (S&P)

Safety & Permits advises all construction projects to take the following protective actions in advance of any potential tropical weather activity:

• Remove construction materials from the perimeter of the building and tie them down. (This includes smaller items such as tools to larger items such as dumpsters, portable bathrooms and event equipment.);
• Secure steel frames, metal decks, planks and plywood to supportive structures;
• Provide shoring and bracing for areas under construction or demolition;
• Cover electrical equipment from exposure to the weather;
• Secure netting, scaffolding and sidewalk sheds;
• Suspend crane operations and secure crane equipment when wind speeds reach 30 mph or greater;
• Suspend hoist operations and secure exterior hoists when wind speeds reach 35 mph or greater, unless manufacturer specifications state otherwise;
• Brace and secure construction fences and check that silt fences are properly buried and staked.
• Cover dirt stock piles; and
• Clear all storm drains or inlet filters on or near the construction site.

The public is asked to call 3-1-1 to report safety hazards if a site has neglected to take the suggested precautions.

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND PARKWAYS

The Department of Parks and Parkways is responding to tree emergencies and will continue to do so throughout the storm event. Residents are reminded to stay away from downed trees that may have power lines entangled, please call 3-1-1 to report, and Parks and Parkways will coordinate with Entergy to clear. As of this morning, the department has responded to three emergencies and will continue to respond to 3-1-1 cases.

THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION

The Department of Sanitation continues to remove illegal dumping, pick up litter and empty public litter cans throughout the City. Sanitation urges residents to immediately remove their garbage/recycling carts and bulky waste from the curb and secure them on their property. Due to a variety of factors, some collections may not have occurred as scheduled over the weekend.

Transportation Services Preparations Underway 

NEW ORLEANS REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (NORTA)

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority has suspended all bus, streetcar, and ferry service beginning Sunday, June 7, through the duration of Tropical Storm Cristobal. The agency will continue to monitor the path of the storm. For the latest information on service impacts due to Tropical Storm Cristobal, visit RTA’s website at www.RTAforward.org. Please follow @NewOrleansRTA on Twitter and Facebook or call the Rideline at 504-248-3900 for the latest information on storm impacts.

Residents Encouraged Stay Connected and Pay Attention

Sign up for text updates by texting CRISTOBAL to 888777. Follow @nolaready on social media, and see all storm updates on ready.nola.gov.