American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Opens EOC in response to Tropical Storm Ida and Urges All Residents to Take Appropriate Precautions

New Orleans, LA, November 9, 2009 – The American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Chapter, as of 8:00am this morning, has activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Canal Street headquarters.  The Operations Center will remain staffed 24 hours a day until all threats from Hurricane Ida have passed.  This is the first time that the EOC in the Robert W. Merrick Building has been activated since the chapter returned to Canal Street this May, following extensive flooding and damage during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Red Cross staff is on-site at the Jefferson Parish EOC and St. Tammany EOC.  As additional Emergency Operation Centers open throughout our 13-parish service area, the Southeast Louisiana Chapter will provide staff as requested. 

Southeast Louisiana Chapter field offices in Thibodeaux, Luling and Covington as well as the St. Bernard Chapter also remain on alert and prepared to respond.  Currently we have five shelter teams on standby, ready to respond within an hour of activation throughout our 13-parish region.  The Red Cross is ready to respond as soon as local officials request assistance or should the situation warrant further action.

“At this time we are encouraging all residents of Southeast Louisiana to closely monitor the local media for updates on the storm and to prepare now for possible severe weather such as heavy rain, tropical storm force winds and flooding of low lying areas” said Kay W. Wilkins, C.E.O. of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter. “The best defense is a good offense and we encourage all residents to follow the basic preparedness steps to be Red Cross Ready: make a plan, build a kit and stay informed” Wilkins continued.

Ida is most likely to affect our area with heavy rains, flooding, and tropical storm force winds please be cautious and follow these tips:

• Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankle, stop, turn around and go another way.
• If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way.
• If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.
• Prepare for High Winds: secure lawn furniture, outdoor decorations, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by wind.

The Southeast Louisiana Chapter will release updated information as long as Tropical Storm Ida poses a threat to our region. Additional information on hurricane and severe weather preparedness as well as information specific to Hurricane Ida can be found on the chapter website at www.arcno.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

The Southeast Louisiana Chapter serves more than 1.2 million people throughout Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. John, Assumption, Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.  The Southeast Louisiana Chapter also provides Disaster Action Team (DAT) assistance to the St. Bernard Community Chapter.

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