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New Orleans mayor on Hurricane Ida recovery, looting & reentry

There has not been widespread looting; there has been widespread empathy and cooperation amongst neighbors, the mayor said.

NEW ORLEANS —

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell

  • Anyone who experienced Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago should be grateful 
  • Category 4 hurricanes sat over New Orleans for 12 hours
  • The worst-case scenario didn't happen
  • Hurricane Ida was not another Katrina, but the impact is absolutely significant
  • While New Orleans held the line, now is not the time for reentry
  • Monday is for assessment across the board. City need to assess the impacts
  • City agencies have been out since daybreak, block-by-block neighborhood by neighborhood: No one will be left out
  • City must address all challenges
  • City-wide power outage
  • S&WB was impacted by challenges but held the line. It did what it was supposed to do.
  • No widespread extensive structural destruction, but there was some destruction
  • City reports one casualty: A driver drowned.
  • City will tell residents who evacuated when it is safe to come home
  • Residents and visitors should stay in their homes or neighborhoods, and be first responders to neighbors
  • Agencies will work with city councilmembers to address impacts as best as possible; councilmembers will work with neighborhood leaders
  • Communications are compromised
  • AT&T & Entergy are doing everything they can, working on remote operations for cellphone charging
  • Evacuation doesn't seem necessary at this time; New Orleanians need to stay put
  • Residents and businesses should be good neighbors; share power with those who need to recharge devices
  • There is no widespread looting; there is widespread empathy and community cooperation.

New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Collin Arnold

  • Hurricane Ida sat on New Orleans for nearly a day, causing significant impacts, but neighbors to the  west have seen more widespread destruction
  • NOPD, NOFD, NOEMS began assessing impacts at daybreak
  • Residents should get pictures of damages if it's safe to do so
  • Upload to damage.la.gov; this will help local, state, and federal relief efforts

  • Folks should stay off the roads
  • If you've evacuated, take a breath. New Orleans is doing well under the circumstances, but it's not the time to return
    • There's not a lot open now; not a lot of fuel resources
    • We’ll let you know when it's a good time to return
    • Hospitals are strained by COVID
  • Opening oxygen exchange for free. 8 a.m. to 6 a.m.
    • Fire Station 1 2920 Magazine Street
    • Fire station 36 5403 read Boulevard
    • Fire Station 40 2500 General De Gaulle Drive
    • Call special need 504.658.2558 for help.
  • The best way to help is to donate money to organizations on the ground helping; see list at Nola.ready.gov
  • City agencies need to recollect to respond

New Orleans Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure

  • Ida impacts are different from Katrina's
  • Levee system worked
  • We should acknowledge the city's infrastructure held the line
  • Debris everywhere; will take time to clear and recover
  • Stay home, work on your home, put debris on side of the roadway,
  • Small pockets of standing water is because of blockage of drainage system
  • Clearing rights of way for public, Entergy and infrastructure repairs
  • Clearing standing water
  • Contract to bring in 20 extra vacuum trucks to clear drainage issues
  • Be safe with generators
  • City infrastructure is safe 

NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson

  • Now is not the time to return home
  • If you're home, stay home
  • Only come out to clean debris or evacuate
  • Stay off streets
  • Do not put us in harm's way by putting yourself in harm's way

  • NOPD: All hands on deck 12 hours on 12 off
    • Numerous calls for looting
    • Several arrests
    • This is a state felony. We will book accordingly
    • The community needs to say stop to looters
    • LANG, NOPD implementing anti looting response

911

  • 911 issues in southern parishes
  • Physical infrastructure damaged
  • At&t crews working to restor
  • residents shouldn't return before 911 services are restored
  • Walk to fire station or flag an officer if you need help
  • Texting to 911 in the works.
  • nola.gov/311 Hurricane Ida charging business sign up

Entergy

  •  8 transmission lines to NOLA sustained damage
  • Catastrophic damage west of city caused the outage
  • 888,000  Entergy customers without power after Hurricane Ida
  • 2,000 mils of transmission lines out of service
  • 4,500 Entergy boots on the ground in NOLA, assessing damage since first light
  • Premature to speculate when power will be restored
  • We helped S&WB with generators; S&WB a priority customer

S&WB

  • Algiers: Drainage Pumping Station 13 power issues
    • Crews working until it is resolved
    • DPS 13 lost power during storm, back up generator worked, then failed
    • Report any standing water do DPW and S&WB 
  • Sewerage pumps 84
    • 80 lost power
    • 10 generators from Entergy and several more on hand 
    • Wastewater can back up without pumps
    • Asking for thoughtful sewerage
  • No water pressure issues
  • Working on taking calls from customers

Flood protection

  • The levee protection system functioned as designed
  • Constant communication throughout the event with S&WB
  • No breach or overtopping of levees
    • In recovery mode
    • Inspecting levees
    • Preparing for next storm
  • After inspection flood gates reopen if safe

Before You Leave, Check This Out