Tab Troxler warns residents: get flood insurance

St. Charles Parish Council members listened intently to a presentation by the director of the emergency operations center about the number of residents and business owners in the parish, without flood insurance at its Monday night meeting. Tab Troxler, strongly encouraged residents to get flood insurance.

“Louisiana has suffered the most flood losses at a total of $15 billon from 1978 to 2007, with $95 million in claims paid out due to flood loss in St. Charles Parish,” he said.

“The National Flood Insurance Program is the only provider with this kind of coverage in the country.”

Troxler said residents should check with their insurance agents about the cost and amount of coverage they will need to protect their homes after a flood.

“Each person’s coverage and rate amount is different. Insurance brokers should have that information,” he said.

Troxler said St. Charles parish residents are more vulnerable to flooding now than in the past because of recent losses of over 330 miles of shoreline that had protected residents from powerful storms. The land loss combined with low land elevations and being surrounded by major waterways increases the odds that the parish will flood if a storm comes our way.

“We also have limited hurricane levee protection, but that’s getting better.” he said.

“If you made St. Charles Parish a state, it would be 22 on the list of states with Flood Insurance Claims,” he added.

Troxler noted that we have claims in dollars that exceed 32 other states and territories in the country.

“Over 40% of the homes in this parish do not carry flood insurance or are under insured,” he continued.

“And less than 50% of businesses carry flood insurance.”

Troxler’s goal is to have 100% participation by residents in the National Flood Insurance Program.

“Flood insurance protects everyone,” he said.

“With the insurance, we’ll have legal footing to recoup our losses, and it provides the funding for the rebuilding process.”

Troxler also talked about the new hurricane evacuation timeline which has been adjusted; “Before we called an evacuation when tropical storm force winds reached Kenner. Now we are calling an evacuation when the winds of 40 mph reach the coast. This moves the evacuation time up 12 to 18 hours.” said Troxler

“We’ve made an agreement with West Baton Rouge parish to use their shelters to relocate essential employees, except drainage pump operators, should an evacuation be required once a storm gets closer to our area,” he continued.

Troxler said additional improvements are needed at the emergency operations center.

“We have plans to build a new facility but that’s in the future, right now there is no funding to start the process,” he said.

The EOC office is currently housed in the basement at the St. Charles Parish Courthouse.

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply