[StBernard] Prepare for Flooding, Keep Safe

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friends,

This week we learned that the expected crest levels have been lowered in a
number of places throughout the state. This is certainly good news, but we
cannot become complacent because there is still a significant amount of
water that threatens our people and our property. 

That's why we continue to work with the National Guard and local officials
on flood protection measures throughout the state. We now have over 1,100
National Guardsmen activated throughout the state to help fight the floods.


 
<http://images.publicaster.com/ImageLibrary/account848/images/Stephensville.
jpg> We traveled throughout the Atchafalaya Basin area this week to meet
with residents and local officials to make sure folks have the resources
they need to protect themselves and their property from the coming floods.
On Monday, we stopped in Amelia where we worked with local officials to sink
a barge in Bayou Chene that will help protect Amelia, Stephensville, Gibson,
Belle River, Pierre Part and many other communities from the flood waters.
As the Lafayette Advertiser
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7851%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=YkMVRSLSU1HI1YMl0XyKrw&sysid=1>  reported, the barge will help fight
backwater flooding by pushing water to unpopulated areas and wetlands. 

On Tuesday, we traveled to Stephensville to assess flood protection measures
for Stephensville Elementary School and residential areas that are
threatened by the rising river. On Wednesday - as the Thibodaux Daily Comet
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c7852%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=L3Mhr8MxxW2nAXUuJ4Cfrg&sysid=1>  reported - we met with residents of
Bayou Black in Terrebonne Parish and surveyed work by the Louisiana National
Guard to place tiger dams around homes and schools that will protect the
property from flood waters. 

Finally, I want to reiterate how critical it is for us to stay focused on
protecting our communities. We must hope for the best and prepare for the
worst. In a disaster, every hour and minute matters and we will continue to
work aggressively to make sure folks have the resources they need to protect
their families. 


Sincerely,

Governor Bobby Jindal