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the City of New Orleans has lifted Mandatory Evacuation

Section: Politics

City of New Orleans

Media Updates
9:15 p.m.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008

For information and interview requests, please contact the Joint
Information Center at (504) 658-2202 or (504) 658-2277.

City Hall will be closed today through Friday, September 5, 2008.

CITY OPERATIONAL UPDATES

SUPPORT:

· The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency
Preparedness (NOOHSEP) successfully established a unified logistics
center for receiving and distribution of all incident resources for this
event through a coordinated effort of New Orleans Police, Fire and EMS.
This includes the support of life/safety items (such as cots, food, and
supplies) for all City personnel responding to Gustav as well as City
recovery. In addition, the evacuation and return of the citizens of NO
and augmented the endeavors of the NOOHSEP preparedness plans.

AIRPORT:

· Airport is open and the first commercial flight landed in New
Orleans at 8:45 p.m. tonight.

NOPD:

· A total of nine were arrested for looting, which included:

o 3 arrests were related to kicking in doors in New Orleans East.

o 5 arrests were related to breaking into a grocery store.

o 1 arrest was related to a home entry in the 3rd district.

· NOPD will increase patrols throughout the city via combining
patrol forces of NOPD officers, National Guard, and Levee Board police.

NOFD:

· Staffing at normal levels.

· No working fires today.

· All fire houses open.

· Offered assistance for mutual aid to other affected areas in
the state.

· Chief Parent is urging citizens to be careful using generators
in homes. See www.cityofno.com for safety
tips.

NOEMS:

· NO EMS is experiencing low call volume, only 24 calls for
service.

· NO EMS has resumed normal staffing.

Health:

· Four hospitals are open in Orleans Parish.

· All emergency rooms are open.

· All City clinics will open on Monday.

· No dialysis services are available, only acute dialysis.

Power/Entergy:

· 67,000 Entergy New Orleans customers remain without power.

· According to Entergy, transmission lines have been repaired.

· Entergy expects power to be restored to all substations within
24-48 hours.

Sewerage & Water Board:

· All drainage pumping station operating as normal and are fully
functional.

· Water is safe to drink.

· Sewerage plants are operating on generator power.

Office of Recovery:

· Fourteen (14) Code Enforcement Inspectors are touring the city,
assessing properties. Thus far, the inspectors have identified eight (8)
houses that have collapsed, and 57 that have been declared in Imminent
Danger of Collapse.

· Dr. Blakely and the recovery staff are working to stand-up five
(5) information centers to assist citizens with inquiries regarding:
FEMA assistance forms, Social Service information, as well as Safety and
Permits needs. The locations will be announced at a later this week.

311 Call Center:

· The 311 Call Center continues to operate 24 hours a day from the
San Antonio, Texas emergency location. New Orleans residents can call:
1-866-205-6485.

· City Officials are asking citizens to report downed trees,
non-functional traffic lights, and missing/damaged street signs to 311.

Parks and Parkways:

· The Parks and Parkways Department is currently in the process
of clearing downed trees throughout the City.

· If a tree falls on a home, Parks and Parkways will remove,
cut, and stack the tree pieces.

· Citizens are asked to place all debris (grass, trees, and
leaves) on curbside and not neutral grounds.

Sanitation:

· Garbage collection in the French Quarter resumed September 1,
2008.

· Garbage collection City-wide will resume the normal pickup
schedule on Thursday, September 4, 2008 (tomorrow).

DPW:

· Ninety-five (95) traffic lights are operational and ten (10)
traffic lights are flashing out of a total of 450 traffic lights in the
City.

· Temporary stops signs will be placed at all intersections
where traffic lights are not functioning.

· The Department of Public Works urges citizens to remove debris
from storm drains.

· Parking department will resume normal operations on Saturday.

INFORMATION SHARING

· The following information has been shared from the listed
government agencies:

* How to apply for FEMA assistance (FEMA)
* Presidential Disaster Declaration Information (FEMA)
* How to contact the EPA in case of a chemical spill (EPA)
* Helpful information on how to deal with stress (NO Department of
Health)
* Recommendations for a Healthy Return (NO Department of Health)
* Information on portable generators (EPA)
* Coming home precautions (EPA)

RE-ENTRY

· Tomorrow - beginning at 12:01a.m - the City of New Orleans
will allow all residents to return to the City, thereby lifting the
mandatory evacuation to a voluntary evacuation.

· Citizens with health conditions, seniors, and children who may
have health conditions are not encouraged to return at this time.

· The City of New Orleans will continue to have curfew from dusk
until dawn until further notice. This is for the safety of the citizens
due to power outages and potential hazards from Hurricane Gustav.

RECOVERY

Important Numbers:

American Red Cross

866-438-4636.

http://americanredcross.org

Family Register Locator --1-800-588-9822

State Emergency -- 866-288-2484

Jefferson Parish -- 504-349-5360

How to Apply for FEMA Assistance:

* Residents and business owners can begin the disaster application
process by registering online at www.fema.gov

or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the
hearing and speech impaired.

* The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(local time) Monday through Sunday until further notice. Applicants
registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information
about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance
coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as
Required:

* Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are
unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months
for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be
extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of
individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and
administered.)
* Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items
not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and
functional. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
* Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental,
funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not
covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid
programs. (Source: FEMA funded at 75 percent of total eligible costs;
25 percent funded by the state.)
* Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost
jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits,
such as self-employed individuals. (Source: FEMA funded; state
administered.)
* Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated
by insurance. Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residence;
$40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Loans available
up to $1.5 million for business property losses not fully compensated by
insurance. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
* Loans up to $1.5 million for small businesses that have suffered
disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital
to recover from the disaster's adverse economic impact. This loan in
combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $1.5
million. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
* Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators
to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence.
(Source: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
* Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the
disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory
assistance for legal, veterans benefits and social security matters.

Storm Preparedness

The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) would like all citizens to be
prepared for emergencies and to take the proper precautions in using
equipment during and after a storm. The National Fire Protection
Association and NOFD recommend some simple safety tips that residents
can follow to avoid accidents involving portable generators, extension
cords, candles and charcoal/propane grills.

Portable Generators:

Generators should be operated in well ventilated locations outdoors away
from all doors, windows and vent openings. The generators should be
located so that exhaust fumes cannot enter the home through windows,
doors or other building openings. Do not refuel the generator while it
is running. Turn the generator off and let it cool down before
refueling. Generators get extremely hot and will cause severe burns if
not handled with caution. Do not store gas or flammable liquids in your
home. Never try to power the house with a generator (back feeding); this
is an extremely dangerous practice and may electrocute utility workers
and neighbors served by the same utility server. It could overload the
circuitry and burn down your home, business, etc. Remember there is
always a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when using portable
generators that are not well ventilated. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an
odorless, tasteless, invisible, poison gas. Every year, 1,500 people
die of CO poisoning and 10,000 others need medical attention because of
it. CO poisoning is a real threat, one that you cannot see, smell, or
taste, but that you can prevent.

Extension Cords:

Appliances should be plugged directly into the generator or a heavy duty
outdoor-rated extension cord. The cord should be checked for cuts or
tears and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding
pin. The house wiring should not be powered by plugging the generator
into a wall outlet.

Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets. When
possible, avoid the use of "cube taps" and other devices that allow the
connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle.

Candles:

Keep candles at least 12 inches (one foot) away from things that can
catch fire, like clothing, fabrics, textiles, curtains and books. Use
candle holders that are sturdy, won’t tip over easily, are made from a
material that cannot burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax.
Keep candles and all open flames away from flammable liquids. Don’t
leave candles or kerosene lamps burning unattended or within the reach
of small children or pets. Extinguish all candles when leaving home or
going to bed. Always use a flashlight, not a candle for emergency
lighting.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of home candle fires started in the bedroom,
resulting in 41% of the civilian death.

Charcoal Grills:

Due to the production of carbon monoxide when charcoal is burned,
charcoal grills should not be use inside homes, vehicles, tents or
campers, even if ventilation is provided. Carbon monoxide is odorless
and colorless; you will not be alerted to the danger until it is too
late. Never use any flammable liquid other than barbecue starter fluid
to start a charcoal grill. Never put starter fluid on an open flame.
Remove the charcoal ashes from the grill and place them in a metal
container with a tight fitting metal lid. Add and mix water with the
ashes. Remove ashes only after they have cooled and no warm embers
remain. Keep children away from grills.

Propane Grills:

Handle any propane-powered equipment cautiously and always follow the
manufacturer's instructions. Cylinder tanks for equipment such as stoves
and ovens must be located outside of the home. Never store or use
propane gas cylinders larger than one pound inside the home. Never
operate a propane-powered gas grill inside the home.

Have propane gas equipment inspected periodically by a professional for
possible leaks or malfunctioning parts.

Carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions when lighting a pilot.
If you smell a strong odor of gas, leave the area immediately and call
the fire department from outside the home.

Joint Information Center (504) 658-2202 or (504) 658-2277

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