BATON ROUGE, LA — May 2, 2018 — Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP), and the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport will host the 2018 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Awareness Tour. The event will take place during National Hurricane Preparedness Week on Wednesday, May 9.

The one-day event will feature NOAA’s Gulfstream-IV and U.S. Air Force Reserve WC-130J “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft. Media and the public can tour the airplanes, meet NOAA hurricane experts, scientists, and flight crewmembers, and visit with local and state first responders while viewing specialized equipment used for response and recovery operations.

“As we approach the upcoming hurricane season, be Red Stick Ready by having a plan that will keep you and your family safe from all potential hazards that may affect our area, build a disaster supply kit, and use the Buddy System,” said Mayor Broome. According to NOAA, an above-average hurricane season is forecast for 2018. Mayor Broome added, “We encourage our citizens to attend the Hurricane Awareness Tour 2018 for a chance to interact and gain valuable emergency preparedness knowledge from our subject-matter experts and first responders.”

The Hurricane Awareness Tour 2018 will take place at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Multiplex Building, 4400 Airpark Boulevard, on Wednesday, May 9, from 2 p.m.-5 p.m.

Local, state, federal, and private agencies will team up with Mayor Broome to offer important information, distribute handouts, speak with residents, present preparedness tips, and much more. Key stakeholders participating in our 2018 Hurricane Awareness Tour include, but are not limited to:

• Acadian Ambulance
• American Red Cross
• Baton Rouge Fire Department
• Baton Rouge Police Department
• Capital Area Transit System (CATS)
• Capital Area United Way (CAUW)
• Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
• East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control & Rescue; Emergency Medical Services (EMS); Information Services; Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP); Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control (MARC)
• Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)
• Louisiana Citizens Insurance
• National Weather Service New Orleans (NWS)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Louisiana Department of Health - Office of Public Health
• St. George Fire Department
• United States Coast Guard - Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge
• Volunteer Louisiana

For more information on the Hurricane Awareness Tour 2018, contact MOHSEP at (225) 389-2100, follow us @RedStickReady on Facebook and Twitter, and download the Red Stick Ready mobile application – free on Apple and Android devices by searching "Red Stick Ready."

Media must reserve interview times via email for all hurricane experts and federal officials through Frank Revitte, frank.revitte@noaa.gov, NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge Weather Forecast Office. Interview times will be in 15-minute blocks.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 9

8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.: NOAA G-IV Hurricane Hunter landing window

9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.: Welcome and media briefing

9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.: VIP tour of C-130 aircraft

10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.: VIP tour of G-IV aircraft

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Media interviews

10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: School group tours of aircraft

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Media tours of C-130 aircraft

1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Media tours of G-IV aircraft

2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Public tours of aircraft