Emergency Preparedness Branch

The Emergency Preparedness Branch administers the City's crisis and consequence management system, including developing and maintaining plans for emergencies and special events. The branch also coordinates training and exercises with stakeholders, maintains and operates the City Emergency Operations Center (CEOC), provides public safety GIS capabilities, and provides a 24/7 Duty Officer for major incidents.

Strategic programs

REGIONAL/URBAN AREA COORDINATION COMMITTEE 

Although the New Orleans Region did not receive Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funding in 2018, the regional mechanisms developed through the UASI program continue to provide support to metropolitan area public safety agencies. The Executive Board is responsible for the administration and strategic oversight of the regional coordination program.

INTEGRATED CHEMICAL SECURITY PROGRAM (ICSP)

The ICSP is a data-driven, risk-based approach to analyzing our most common chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and translating this information to prioritize planning, training and investment strategies as it relates to high consequence CBRN incidents. The ICSP includes the Cities Readiness Initiative / Strategic National Stockpile, which is a federally funded program in partnership with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) designed to help large cities be prepared for health emergencies. Working with the Louisiana Department of Health, the City maintains plans and partnerships which would be implemented in a mass prophylaxis scenario.

LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE (LEPC)

The City has taken a unique approach to the conventional LEPC model by developing several sub-committees (such as Schools & Universities, Utilities and Energy, Hazard Mitigation) that meet quarterly. The valuable information sharing platform developed by these sub-committes inform our strategic goals related to the homeland security enterprise.

STORMREADY

We work closely with the National Weather Service (NWS) in developing hazardous weather response plans and are recognized as a StormReady city by the NWS.

LA-TF1 URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE (USAR)

The Louisiana Task Force One (LA-TF1) is a regional urban search and rescue team comprised of public safety personnel from the City of New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish.