[StBernard] FACT SHEET: Louisiana Preparations for Hurricane Rita

[Westley Annis]

FACT SHEET: Louisiana Preparations for Hurricane Rita

.	On Tuesday, September 20, 2005, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
declared a State of Emergency for the State of Louisiana in preparation of
Rita.  

.	25,000 National Guard (NG) troops are ready to respond.
o	Including 5,000 Louisiana soldiers and airmen

.	Governor Blanco has requested that an additional 15,000 Federal
troops be prepared to deploy to Louisiana. 

.	Provisions:
o	100 trucks of MRE's
o	150 trucks of ice
o	200 trucks of water

.	Buses:
o	821 buses, coordinated through state efforts, are currently on stand
by in or near the affected areas.

o	An additional 160 buses, coordinated through state efforts, are on
stand by in Alexandria, LA, which is a central staging area.

o	450 buses have been requested for Southwest and Southeast Louisiana
to transport additional evacuees.

.	1700 inmates from the Southwest Louisiana area are being evacuated
other state and local facilities in Louisiana.

.	To date, Louisiana shelters have expanded their capacities to house
an additional 12,000 evacuees.
o	There are ongoing efforts to expand even more. 
 
o	In addition, special-needs shelters being evacuated, including:
.	125 patients and staff moving from Thibodaux to facilities in Baton
Rouge and Alexandria 
.	54 patients and staff moving from the Lake Charles area to Bossier
City
.	57 patients and staff moving from the Lafayette area to Monroe
.	Hospital Evacuations Underway
o	South Cameron Memorial Hospital was evacuated Wednesday.  Patients
are being transported to Okalahoma.

o	West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital has evacuated.  

o	Christus St. Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles is evacuating to other
Christus facilities in Louisiana and elsewhere.  

o	Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is evacuating neo-natal patients to
other medical facilities. Other patients and staff are remaining.  

o	WO Moss Regional Medical Center (an LSU Hospital) is evacuating
critical care patients to Huey P. Long Hospital in Alexandria.  

o	Crowley and Jennings American Legion Hospitals are closely
monitoring Rita and will make a determination regarding evacuations later
today.

.	All State Police commissioned officers are on standby status with
days off suspended.

.	State offices in 11 parishes have been closed in preparation for
Rita.
o	Including: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, Calcasieu, Iberia,
Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion parishes.  

.	Mandatory evacuation orders have been called for: 
o	ALL of Cameron Parish

o	PARTS of Calcasieu Parish
.	Low lying areas; South of I-10

o	PARTS of Vermillion Parish
.	Low lying areas; South of LA 14, mobile homes & special needs
patients

o	PARTS of St Mary 
.	Below the Intercostal Waterway

o	PARTS of Acadia Parish
.	South of La. 92 and all mobile homes in parish

.	Recommended evacuation orders have been issued for:
o	ALL of Calcasieu Parish 

o	ALL of Vermillion Parish 

o	PARTS of Jefferson Davis
.	Low lying areas; South of I-10
.	Precautionary (voluntary) evacuation orders have been issued for:
o	ALL of Iberia Parish

o	ALL of Lafayette Parish

o	ALL of St. Mary Parish

o	PARTS of Acadia Parish
.	Low lying areas

o	PARTS of St. Mary Parish
.	Low lying areas


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