To improve awareness and effective communication in the event of an emergency, St. Charles Parish officials recently mailed out a guide covering numerous such scenarios.
‘Know Your Risks: An All-Hazards Guide for St. Charles Parish Residents’ brochure was sent to all parish households in late December.
The 12-page brochure is a guide to prepare for emergencies including: weather emergencies, industrial and chemical emergencies, health emergencies and terrorism. It also provides information on protective actions, where to find parish notifications and recommended safety tips.
“A lot of people associate hurricanes with the worst or main problem we have to prepare for, but there’s a lot beyond that and it helps to be ready in those cases,” said Tristan Babin, parish spokesman. “This helps residents understand what our EOC (emergency operations center) does and what we need our residents to know. And most importantly, it helps them know what protective actions they need to take in each case.”
The booklet was produced by the parish’s Public Information Office and mailed as part of “Industry Aware,” a project of the local Emergency Planning Committee.
Copies of the brochure will be available in the lobby of the courthouse in Hahnville.
“If we say that this is a situation where residents should monitor and prepare, or shelter in place, this tells you exactly what is meant and what specific protective actions they need to take,” Babin said. “That, to me, is the most important part of the guide.”
Simply having the guide to reference in a time of emergency could certainly come in handy according to Joe Ganote, St. Charles Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director.
“Having a quick reference brochure at your disposal is an invaluable resource to have on hand when you need it,” said Ganote. “It is our hope that our residents familiarize themselves with the contents of this brochure.”
Babin added that residents may download a copy of the brochure at the parish’s website (www.stcharlesparish-la.gov/eoc) and that the packet contents will remain on the site for reference going forward. He added in the future, videos breaking down what to do in different scenarios will be added.
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