May 31, 2019 | From City of New Orleans
City Executive Leadership Completes In-Residence Hurricane Training Exercise
NEW ORLEANS — Today, Mayor Cantrell and City of New Orleans executive leadership completed a two-day in-residence hurricane training exercise hosted by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) at the Joint Emergency Services Training Center (JESTC) in Zachary.
GOHSEP and the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (NOHSEP) convened leaders from key response and recovery departments at the City and State level to discuss pre-landfall activity as well as post-storm recovery efforts should a major hurricane impact the region. Areas examined included policy, contracting, evacuation, damage assessment, security, and re-entry. Ahead of the June 1 start of hurricane season, this training provided an opportunity to discuss capabilities, identify opportunities for growth, and reaffirm the region’s storm readiness.
“Being prepared for an emergency means having the training and the systems in place for seamless collaboration between our state and local partners, and exercises like this training session are the best way to make that happen,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Advance preparation is crucial to the success of any response operation. I’m grateful to GOHSEP for hosting the event, and proud of our first-responders for the hard work that went into making it a success.”
“We are always looking for ways to strengthen our relationships with the local agencies we serve, “said GOHSEP Director Jim Waskom. “This is an excellent way for state agencies and New Orleans leadership to review emergency functions such as information sharing, evacuation plans, pre-disaster contracts and post-storm activity before the start of hurricane season. A full evacuation of New Orleans involves several agencies and several moving parts. It is important to test those types of activities before you face an actual emergency. Our local partners are our clients and we want to make sure we are ready to support their efforts protecting our citizens.”
“Working and living together at the JESTC facility helped build coordination and trust that will serve us well should a real-world event come our way,” said NOHSEP Director Collin Arnold. “We cannot do this alone and are grateful for our partners at the State of Louisiana who facilitated this unique opportunity test our hurricane plans.”
Residents and businesses are encouraged to be hurricane ready as well by making a plan, gathering supplies, and signing up for emergency alerts. More information is available at ready.nola.gov/hurricane.
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