Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

Sep 03, 2012
Governor Bobby Jindal Issues Executive Order Declaring Public Health Emergency

BATON ROUGE - Today, Governor Bobby Jindal issued an executive order declaring a statewide public health emergency in response to Hurricane Isaac.


PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY


WHEREAS, the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers Act, R.S. 29:760, et seq., confers upon the Governor of the State of Louisiana emergency powers to deal with public health emergencies, including those caused by a disaster, such as hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high winds, and other weather related events, that poses a high probability of a large number of deaths in the affected population or a large number of serious or long-term disabilities in the affected population in order to ensure that preparations will be adequate to deal with such emergencies or disasters and to preserve the health and lives of the people of the State of Louisiana;


WHEREAS, when the Governor after consultation with the public health authority determines that a public health emergency has occurred, or the threat thereof is imminent, R.S. 29:766(A) empowers him to declare a state of emergency by executive order or proclamation;


WHEREAS, the welfare of the citizens of the State of Louisiana is jeopardized by any disaster, natural or man-made, that creates debris on public and private property that, if not promptly removed, can contribute to unsanitary and unsafe conditions conducive to the development and spread of pests and disease;


WHEREAS, Hurricane Isaac began impacting the coastal parishes of Louisiana on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 with hurricane strength winds, wave surges, high tides, torrential rain and tornado activity before slowly moving across the entire State;


WHEREAS, The State continues to experience widespread flooding in certain areas, has issued more than 200 water boil advisories, and lost over 40% of electrical power statewide for an extended amount of time, with seven parishes still reporting electrical outages exceeding 40%;


WHEREAS, all sixty-four parishes of Louisiana issued parish declarations of emergency with many issuing mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders, resulting in a potential disruption of health care by those relocating to an area outside their homes;


WHEREAS, a declaration of public health emergency is necessary to allow federal, state, and local governments to enter onto private property as necessary to assess and remove nuisance debris that poses a health hazard to the people of Louisiana;


WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals and the State Health Officer have requested that a public health emergency be declared;


NOW THEREFORE, I, BOBBY JINDAL, Governor of the State of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:


SECTION 1: Pursuant to the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers Act, R.S. 29:760, et seq., a state of public health emergency is declared to exist in the State of Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Isaac which has created emergency conditions that threaten the lives and health of the citizens of the State.


SECTION 2: The state of public health emergency extends from Monday, September 3, 2012 through Wednesday, October 3, 2012, unless terminated sooner.




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the city of Baton Rouge, on this 3rd day of September, 2012.


/s/ Bobby Jindal ____________
GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA

ATTEST BY
THE GOVERNOR

http://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=3611

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

JOINT INFORMATION CENTER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 3, 2012

As More Residents Return Home, Health Officials Emphasize Heat Stroke Risk

BATON ROUGE - More Louisiana residents are now returning to their homes to focus on recovery and rebuilding after Hurricane Isaac. But, the rain has stopped, temperatures are rising and many homes are still without electrical power and air conditioning, so health officials remind the public to be aware of heat stroke and take precautions.

?We know everyone?s minds are on recovery, but we need everyone to take their risk of heat stroke seriously,? said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. ?This is a serious condition that can kill you. So, don?t take chances with your health. Drink plenty of fluids, wear light, loose-fitting clothing and sunscreen, and take breaks in the shade or a cool area frequently.?

When temperatures get high and weather is humid, people are at an increased risk of becoming ill or dying from heat exposure. Children and the elderly are most vulnerable, but everyone should be aware of the risk.

People?s bodies normally cool by sweating but, under intense heat conditions, sweating isn?t enough, and people?s bodies become unable to properly cool. In such cases, a person?s body temperature rises rapidly, which can cause damage to the brain or other vital organs, and can result in death or permanent disability.

When a person is suffering from heat stroke, his or her body temperature may rise to 105 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Warning signs of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature; red, hot and dry skin; rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; and dizziness, nausea, confusion and/or unconsciousness. Any of these signs can be a life-threatening emergency and require immediate medical assistance. If you experience these symptoms, focus on cooling quickly, placing cool water or ice packs on your skin, and sitting in a cool or shady area.

Because heat illnesses can come on so rapidly, it?s important to take precautions ahead of time to prevent this. If you are heading outdoors, lower your risk of heat stroke by wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothes and a hat, drinking water regularly and stopping periodically to rest in a shaded area or indoors if you have air conditioning. It is also a good precaution to wear an effective-level sunblock or sunscreen lotion to prevent your skin from being sunburned. Before you begin working outside, drink plenty of water, even if you don?t feel thirsty. Most importantly, do not drink alcohol if you will be outdoors in the heat. This can cause you to dehydrate faster.

For more information on heat stroke and heat-related illnesses, visit the Centers for Disease Control facts at
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/.

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/docs/2012-09-03_Heat_Stroke_Risk.pdf

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

Heat advisory issued for south shore of Lake Pontchartrain

Published: Tuesday, September 04, 2012, 10:33 AM Updated: Tuesday, September 04, 2012, 10:33 AM

By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory until 7 p.m. Wednesday for areas without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, including New Orleans and Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and Lafourche parishes.
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High temperatures today will reach 92, with heat index values as high as 106...
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The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. A 90-year-old Marrero man was found dead in his home Monday morning, possibly the result of heat stroke, Harold Nelson Cooper was found in his home, which had no electricity, as was reported to have a body temperature of 110 degrees.

Forecasters urged people to drink plenty of fluids, seek areas where air conditioning or shade ie provided, to stay out of the sun and also out of areas where air circulation is limited. They urged people to check on the elderly and infirmed to assure they're remaining out of excessive heat.
...

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2012/09/heat_advisory_until_7_pm_wedne.html

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

Mississippi -

Cleanup of over 15,000 nutria killed by Isaac in Mississippi slow, nasty

Published: Tuesday, September 04, 2012, 8:15 AM

Crews are pitchforking dead nutria killed during Hurricane Isaac into front-end loaders on Hancock County beaches. Officials with the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency say some streets with access to the beach have been closed while workers in hazardous materials suits try and pick up the carcasses.

Hancock County EMA officials estimate more than 15,000 nutria -- large semiaquatic rodents -- that were killed by Isaac's storm surge have washed up on the beach.

"We don't want anybody out here in the stuff," said Hancock County Supervisor David Yarborough. "They're actually starting to swell up and bust. It smells really bad. So, any sightseers, you might want to second guess this one before you come out."
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In Harrison County, sand-beach crews removed nearly 16 tons of dead animals from its beaches Saturday and Sunday. Supervisor Kim Savant says they were still washing up Monday.
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http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index...f_15000_nutria_killed.html#incart_flyout_news

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

September 2, 2012
PHOTO RELEASE: Ongoing Flood Conditions in Southeastern Louisiana

Issac 2012 - (CPRA) Southeastern LA flooding
Ongoing Flood Conditions in Southeastern Louisiana
Photos by Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana
September 1, 2012

LaPlace

Scarsdale

Garyville

Interstate near Garyville

Braithewaite

Gramercy

Northshore Near Pontchatoula

...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep/sets/72157631370582238/with/7915152798/

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

Isaac damaged 13,000 La. homes

Updated: Sep 04, 2012 12:45 PM CDT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - At least 13,000 homes in Louisiana were damaged by Hurricane Isaac, a state emergency official said Tuesday. The numbers are the first official damage estimates from the storm, which struck a week ago.

Christina Stephens, spokeswoman for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said the figures are "very preliminary," based on an initial assessment of communities with flooding and wind damage.
...
http://www.fox8live.com/story/19442798/flooding-power-outages-persist-after-isaac

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

Updated: 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012 | Posted: 6:39 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012

In southern La., residents blame levees for floods

By CAIN BURDEAU
The Associated Press
LAPLACE, La. ?

At the urging of residents who have long felt forgotten in the shadow of more densely populated New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers says it will look into whether the city's fortified defenses pushed floodwaters provoked by Hurricane Isaac into outlying areas.

However, the Corps has said it is unlikely scientific analysis will confirm that theory, suggested not only by locals, but by some of the state's most powerful politicians. Instead, weather experts say a unique set of circumstances about the storm ? not the floodwalls surrounding the New Orleans metro area ? had more to do with flooding neighborhoods that in recent years have never been under water because of storm surge.

Isaac was a large, slow-moving storm that wobbled across the state's coast for about two and a half days, pumping water into back bays and lakes and leaving thousands of residents under water outside the massive levee system protecting metropolitan New Orleans. It was blamed for seven deaths and damaged thousands of homes on the Gulf Coast.

The Corps' study was prompted by the suggestion that Isaac's surge bounced off the levees and floodgates built since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and walloped communities outside the city's ramparts.

More...
http://www.wftv.com/news/ap/top-news/in-southern-la-residents-blame-levees-for-floods/nR3Tz/

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

September 7, 2012

PHOTO RELEASE: Closing the back levee breach in Plaquemines Parish​

BATON ROUGE, La. ? Louisiana National Guard helicopters continue to drop 3,000-pound sandbags to stabilize a breach in a Plaquemines Parish back levee near the Braithwaite and Scarsdale communities.​

Carrying two jumbo sandbags at a time, the helicopters are dropping up to 740 bags into the approximately 230-foot breach on the east side of the parish.

Residents of Plaquemines Parish were hard hit by storm surge that washed over the parish during Hurricane Isaac.

Click here to view photos of the jumbo sandbags and transporting helicopters:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep/sets/72157631452720904/

Click here to view additional photos of property damage in Plaquemines Parish:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep/sets/72157631452910768/​

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3,000-pound sandbags airlifted to fill levee breach in Plaquemines Parish, LA.

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CPRA - Plaquemines Parish
Property damage caused by Hurricane Isaac in Plaquemines Parish.​

By lagohsep Louisiana GOHSEP+ Add Contact
This photo was taken on September 6, 2012​

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/docs/2012-09-07_Photo_Rel_Closing_Plaq_Levee.pdf​

 

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Re: Isaac weakens to a depression over northern Louisiana - All coastal warnings discontinued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 28, 2012
MEDIA CONTACT:
Christina Stephens
christina.stephens@la.gov
225.358.5667

Hurricane Isaac Damaged almost 59,000 Residences
in Louisiana

State analysis of inspection data shows St. John the Baptist, Plaquemines parishes suffered most severe home damage

BATON ROUGE, La. ? Hurricane Isaac damaged almost 59,000 homes in Louisiana, with the most severe losses in St. John the Baptist and Plaquemines parishes, according to data from door-to-door inspections of homes, the Governor?s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness reported Friday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency performs home inspections when citizens register for assistance and note that they have damage. As of Wednesday, FEMA has completed more than 120,000 home inspections, or almost 99 percent of the total inspections ordered. Using data from these inspections, Louisiana?s Long Term Housing Task Force compiled housing damage figures for each parish so that local leaders would have accurate information about the severity of damage in their communities.

As Louisiana recovers from Hurricane Isaac, the state?s Department of Children and Family Services and the Louisiana Housing Corporation are working with GOHSEP, the Office of Community Development-Disaster Recovery Unit, and other state and federal agencies on a Long Term Housing Task Force, which aims to work with local leaders to identify housing solutions for the communities recovering from the hurricane.

GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis said, ?The majority of housing inspections have been completed. We?ll continue to support parish leaders in their efforts to help communities recover from this devastating storm and will continue to advocate for residents who find themselves without homes as a result of Isaac.?

Based on this inspection data, the state?s report shows:

 A total of 58,952 residences in Louisiana suffered some level of damage in Hurricane Isaac;
 46,663 owner-occupied homes had verified damage. Of this group, 2,055 homes had damage greater than $20,000;
 12,289 renters lived in residences that received some level of damage. Of this group, 3,516 renters lived in residences with substantial or major damage;
 In total, around 5,571 homeowners and renters lived in residences that suffered more than minor damage. Jefferson parish had the largest number of homes where inspectors found damage, but the most severe home damage was in St. John the Baptist Parish, according to inspections. More than half of all homes that inspectors found to have more than $20,000 in damage were in St. John the Baptist parish. Plaquemines Parish saw the second most severe damage to homes, with 411 homes in that parish having more than $20,000 in damage, based on inspections. Jefferson, Orleans, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany parishes saw the most rental units with damage, according to the inspection data. Not every home damaged by Isaac received a home inspection because some homeowners may have opted not to register for FEMA assistance.

Read more:
http://emergency.louisiana.gov/docs/IsaacHousingDamageRelease_final.pdf