[StBernard] ST. BERNARD PARISH OFFICIALS READY WITH ASSETS AND EQUIPMENT TO ADDRESS RECOVERY NEEDS AS SOON AS STORM CONDITIONS PASS

[Westley Annis]

ST. BERNARD PARISH OFFICIALS READY WITH ASSETS AND EQUIPMENT TO ADDRESS
RECOVERY NEEDS AS SOON AS STORM CONDITIONS PASS
St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said residents cooperate with mandatory
evacuation; only two arrested and sent to Angola in last 36 hours

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro said he has critical assets on
hand to hasten clean-up efforts so residents will be allowed to return as
quickly as possible to their homes so they can focus on recovery.

"We have assets being stationed both inside and outside of the parish to
respond as as soon as it is safe," Taffaro  said.

"We know that we are very much in the cone of activity, but if it stays on
its course (projected at 6 p.m.) we may avoid topping or breaching of the
levees," Taffaro said. "What is most encouraging is that we have been having
a great level of outstanding cooperation from citizens. The community has
responded well." 

Col. Jeff Bedey, commander of the Hurricane Protection Office for the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers said that the levees, protecting St. Bernard are
better than  they have ever been before although more work needs to be done.

"We would like to think that we have reduced the risk of catastrophic
failure, but there is the potential for overtopping anywhere in the levee
system" in the metropolitan area, Bedey said.

St. Bernard Sheriff Jack Stephens said he believes the promise that those
arrested would be brought straight to Angola Prison since the local jail is
shut down because of the storm has resulted in fewer arrests. Only two
people have been arrested in the last 36 hours, Stephens said. One person
was arrested for criminal trespassing and one was arrested for theft over
$300 of copper.

For more information, tune to the local media, www.sbpg.net, Government
Access Channel 76 or 1680-AM, the parish's emergency low band radio channel.

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