BATON ROUGE, LA — July 9, 2019 — East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and all City-Parish officials are closely monitoring Invest 92L. The National Weather Service (NWS) New Orleans is forecasting that the tropical disturbance has a 50% chance of developing over the next two days and an 80% developing over the next five days. The NWS currently forecasts EBRP to start experiencing rainfall by Thursday with most of the rainfall on Friday. Southeast Louisiana can expect about 3-8 inches of rainfall through Monday. The NWS explains there is still no certain area being predicted for landfall, but EBRP can expect severe weather from this disturbance.

Mayor Broome urges East Baton Rouge residents to “remain cognizant of the latest forecasts, check in on family members, charge all electronic devices, ensure your contact information is up-to-date, check your medication supply, check your insurance coverage, and tune in to their local weather radio/TV stations for the latest updates.”

CITY-PARISH WORKING WITH PARTNERS ON PREPARATIONS

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome is currently coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to monitor the disturbance and will share updates as forecasts change.

All City-Parish Departments to include but not limited to:

• Baton Rouge Fire Department
• Baton Rouge Police Department
• Department of Buildings and Grounds
• Department of Business and Capital Programs
• Department of Development
• Department of Environmental Services
• Department of Fleet Management
• Department of Maintenance
• Department of Transportation and Drainage
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Finance Department
• Human Development and Services Department
• Human Resources
• Information Services Department
• Juvenile Services Department
• The Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP)
• Purchasing Department
• American Red Cross
• Capital Area Transit System (CATS)
• BREC
• North Baton Rouge Chemical Industry Taskforce (NBRCITF)
• Region II Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (HEPC)
• Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)
• The National Weather Service (NWS) New Orleans

CITY ASSETS

DPW and BRPD are pre-deploying barricades to known streets and intersections that experience high water during rains, and will deploy those barricades in the event that rain becomes heavy. The City-Parish will lean on the side of safety and temporarily close down streets that have previously experienced high water, in order to prevent drivers from going through those locations.

Areas for barricades include:

• I-110 in Governor's Mansion curves
• Chippewa Street train overpass
• Wooddale from GSR to Florida Blvd.
• Lobdell from GSR to Florida Blvd.
• S. Acadian @ railroad overpass
• Burbank @ W. Parker
• Bluebonnet @ railroad overpass
• Florida Blvd. Service Road from Littlejohn to Flannery
• Oak Villa between Wal-Mart and Florida Blvd.
• S. Sherwood Forest both north and south of I-12
• Plank @ Harding
• Scenic @ Beech
• Scenic Hwy. from 72nd and Harding
• North Blvd. at 10th St.

GET PREPARED

Please begin preparations to ensure you and your family are prepared and informed with these preparedness tips:

• Make a Family Communication Plan
• Compile important phone numbers and addresses.
• Restock your emergency supply kit.
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food and water for each member in your family and/or household
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Medication
• Important documents including insurance
• Make sure your home is prepared.
• Trim or remove damaged trees and limbs.
• Secure and clear all gutters.
• Fuel your vehicles, generators, and gas cans. Consider purchasing a portable generator.
• Use the BuddySystem™ to check on your neighbors, friends and family.
• Check your insurance coverage.
• Don’t forget about your pets!
• Include food and veterinarian information.
• Ensure your pet has a leash and ID.
  

SAND AND SANDBAG LOCATIONS

As a precautionary measure, City-Parish officials in coordination with BREC Parks and Recreation, have pre-positioned sand and sandbags at nine (9) strategic locations throughout the Parish.

Sand and bags are available at the following BREC sites:

• BREC Airline Highway – 17200 Airline Highway
• BREC Airline Highway Fairgrounds – 16072 Airline Highway
• BREC Alsen Park – 601 Old Rafe Mayer Road
• BREC Cadillac Street – 6117 Cadillac Street
• BREC Flannery Road Park – 801 S. Flannery Road
• BREC Hartley-Vey at Gardere Park – 1702 Gardere Lane
• BREC Lovett Road Park – 13443 Lovett Road
• BREC Memorial Stadium – 1702 Foss Street
• St. George Fire HQ – 14100 Airline Highway

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

The Department of Maintenance is continuing to check our major outfalls, channels, creeks, road crossings, and problem areas throughout the Parish. Crews are cleaning around our roadside storm drains, removing dirt, grass, trash, and debris that may be blocking these drains.

Tips to improve drainage:

• Keep gutters and drains free of debris.
• Place lawn clippings in garbage cans, and never blow or sweep them into a catch basin.
• Encourage your neighbors to do the same.

SANITATION COLLECTION

Garbage and recycling services will be running normal routes. Some delays may occur in the event of strong storms, depending on their severity. Service adjustments or cancelations will be made based upon weather conditions.

311 CALL CENTER 

Operating normal hours. Residents are encouraged to call 311 for general information and to report non-life threating emergencies. Regular hours are 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. After-hours dispatchers are on duty from 3 p.m.–11 p.m.

STAY INFORMED

For more information contact MOHSEP at (225) 389-2100, follow us @RedStickReady on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and download the Red Stick Ready mobile app — free on Apple and Android devices by searching "Red Stick Ready".