As meteorologists compare Hurricane Ida’s path and strength to Hurricanes Gustav and Andrew — two of the most damaging storms the Capital Region has ever seen — Baton Rouge officials are urging the public to make final preparations before conditions deteriorate.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome says the worst conditions of what will likely be the Category 4 hurricane will arrive in the greater Baton Rouge area by Sunday morning.
“This is a very dangerous storm and will possibly bring life threatening impacts,” Broome said. “Please take this seriously and use this time to prepare.”
Those preparations should include gathering a three-day supply of food, water and essential medications for family and pets, as well as masks to protect against COVID-19 in the event of an evacuation.
Parish officials have been making their own preparations.
Department of Public Work employees have spent several weeks clearing 1,400 storm drains and lowering Capitol Lake by two feet to reduce flood risk in the area. Other teams have staged barricades at underpasses and roadways known to flood, Broome said.
The majority of fatalities from recent flood events in the parish were caused by motorists driving in high water.
Fred Raiford, the city-parish director of transportation and drainage, said the crews have placed alarm devices at problem areas to signal first responders if water levels get too high.
Still, with as much as 16 inches of rain in the forecast, Broome and other city parish officials are concerned that drainage systems may be overwhelmed.
They advise homeowners to place sandbags at doorways and other entrances to mitigate the risk of water intrusion. DPW crews have delivered additional sand to sandbagging sites as unprecedented numbers of residents heed that advice.
Sandbag Locations In East Baton Rouge Parish
- BREC Airline Highway Fairgrounds, 16072 Airline Highway
- BREC Alsen Park, 601 Old Rafe Mayer Road
- BREC Cadillac Street, 6117 Cadillac Street
- BREC Doyles Bayou Park, 7801 Port Hudson-Pride Road
- BREC Flannery Road Park, 801 S Flannery Road
- BREC Hartley-Vey at Gardere Park, 1702 Gardere Lane
- BREC Lovett Road Park, 13443 Lovett Road (*Due to construction, sand has been moved to the back parking lot)
- BREC Memorial Stadium, 1702 Foss Street
- Zachary Youth Park, 1650 Mt. Pleasant Road
Elderly or disabled residents who are unable to make their own sandbags and can call 211 for assistance.
In addition to sandbagging, Broome urged residents to prepare their homes and properties by clearing any vegetation and debris that may interfere with drainage.
Clay Rives, head of the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said the city-parish has partnered with state officials to open two pre-landfall shelters in the parish. Each shelter will have a capacity of approximately 200 and will have isolation areas to reduce risk of transmission of the coronavirus, Reeves said.
Shelters in East Baton Rouge Parish
- Bishop Ott Shelter, 1623 Convention St, Baton Rouge 70802
- Salvation Army, 7361 Airline Hwy, Baton Rouge 70814
The Baton Rouge Fire Department will double its staffing starting Sunday morning. The department has staged high water vehicles and boats in key areas around the parish and has requested 15 additional high water vehicles from the Louisiana National Guard to conduct search and rescue operations after the storm.
