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Did you know that St. Charles Parish is home to the only 24/7 Emergency Operations Center in the state of Louisiana? The employees at the EOC are responsible for monitoring events and disseminating information in various types of emergencies, including weather events, health emergencies and more.

We encourage all of our residents to be prepared for any emergency and know what to do in one. While this information is of general use with regard to emergencies in St. Charles Parish, it is specifically designed for use in chemical- or radiation-related incidents.

 

What to Do If You Hear the Outdoor Sirens

 

• Stay Calm. You will have time to take needed steps.
• Turn on your radio or television. You will be told what to do.
  • Radio: WWL870 AM, WLMG9 FM, WWL-FM 105.3 FM, 1370 AM (St. Charles Parish)
  • Television: Cox Cable Channel 6or AT&T U-Verse 99 (St. Charles Parish), 4 (WWL), 6 (WDSU), 8 (WVUE), 26 (WGNO)
• Do not use the phone. The lines are needed for official business.

St. Charles Parish utilizes its outdoor warning sirens to alert residents of National Weather Service-issued tornado warnings. Tornadoes can cause serious damage and deaths. A tornado warning means a tornado has either been indicated by radar or spotted on the ground. Residents should take protective actions immediately.

• Home or Building: Go to a windowless, interior room on the lowest level, such as a bathroom, hallway or closet. Crouch down and protect your head with your arms.
• Car: Get out immediately and take shelter in a nearby building or low-lying area away from the vehicle. Be cautious seeking shelter in ditches due to flash flooding in some areas.

 

If You Are Told to Protect Your Breathing:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or other cloth.
• Close the windows and doors if you are in a building or car. Turn vent or air conditioner to “recirc” or “max” if you are in a car.
• Turn off window and attic fans.
• Turn heating or cooling systems to “recirc” or “vent closed” if available. If not, turn off heating or cooling systems.

If You Are Told to Monitor and Prepare:

• Make sure family members are together.
• Listen to radio and TV.
• Prepare for the possibility of evacuation or sheltering-in-place.
• Keep off the road.

 

If You Are Told to Shelter in Place:

• Go inside your house or some other building.
• Stay inside until your radio or TV says you can leave safely.
• Close all doors and windows.
• For chemical or industrial events, turn off window and attic fans.
• For chemical or industrial events, turn heating or cooling systems to “recirc” or “vent closed” if available. If not, turn off heating or cooling systems.
• Keep your pets inside.
• Listen to the radio or TV for further advice.

 

If You Are Told to Evacuate:

• Be sure that this order applies to your section of the mapor your particular area. If it does, follow the next steps.
• Get ready to leave your home for a few days. If you have children in school, they will be taken to the reception center for their school. Meet them there. For more information on reception centers, see the Waterford 3 Emergency Brochure.
• Pack only what you will need most. Take the Waterford 3 Emergency Brochure. Take clothes, medicine, baby supplies, portable radio (if you have one), cell phone and batteries, checkbook and credit cards.
• Turn off the lights and your household appliances.
• Lock your house. The section where you live will be guarded while you are away.
• Use your own car if you can. Take neighbors who need a ride, if you have room. If you have no ride, ask one of your neighbors for a ride. If you cannot do that, go to one of the pick up points. You can get a ride there. For more information on pickup points, see the Waterford 3 Emergency Brochure.
• Turn on your car radio for information.
• If a nuclear emergency, go to the reception center for your section of the map. The chart inside the Waterford 3 Emergency Brochureand the radio or TV will tell you where to go.

 

For more information regarding St. Charles Parish, please visit our website at www.stcharlesparish.gov, Cox Channel 6, UVerse Channel 99, or follow us on Facebook (@stcharlesgov) and Instagram (@stcharlesgovernment).