The mayor had already sent his family out of New Orleans by the Saturday morning news conference. His family was safe and he knew he'd never end up in a shelter.
Slidell suffers extensive flood damage; Mandeville, Covington wind damage, power loss
03:03 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 30, 2005
WWLTV.com
Statement from Parish President Kevin Davis:
St. Tammany Parish Emergency Operations Center Parish Status Update
Tuesday, August 30, 2005 2:00 PM Contact PIO desk at Emergency Center @ 985-898-2860
IF YOU HAVE EVACUATED ST. TAMMANY PARISH, DO NOT RETURN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE PARISH IS CLOSED.
Citizen actions needed:
1- Stay at home. SIGHTSEEING IS FORBIDDEN. Do not enter the streets. A curfew is in place from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Violators are subject to arrest.
2- Drink only bottled water OR water that has been at a full boil for at least ten minutes. Do not drink or cook with any water that has not been disinfected. If you have any doubts, do not drink the water.
3- Stay out of flood waters. If you live in a high water area with central sewerage, sewage will be in the water. Stay out of ALL flood waters.
Reports:
Emergency Operations:
We are working with the State Office of Emergency Preparedness and FEMA to bring water, food and fuel for emergency responders into the parish. Help is on the way. We are working with the Red Cross to establish temporary shelters. We will release information about distribution centers as soon as locations are ready.
Roads & Power:
CLECO & WST crews and the St. Tammany Parish Department of Public Works are clearing major roads to allow FEMA to enter parish. 200 line and trimming crews are beginning work. 550 additional personnel were in-route as of Noon. Thousands of poles are down. Major damage parish-wide. Emphasis will be to restore emergency & medical sites first. Gas line breaks were wide-spread. Gas companies are working.
9-1-1 & Telephone:
The 9-1-1 grid is not operational as of this morning. Work is underway to restore the grid and all land-line communications. No report on cell towers at this time.
The North span of the Causeway is open to Emergency Vehicles ONLY.
The Twin Span is closed in both directions. Sections of the bridge missing.
According to the latest Red Cross figures, 5,400 persons were sheltered in St. Tammany, Washington and Tangipahoa Parishes. This number is fluctuating..
City of Slidell:
Lake waters are beginning to recede. Water is still standing from Fremaux Avenue southward. The City of Slidell Police Department and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office are using boats to rescue citizens stranded by flood water. The City experienced major flooding from Gause Boulevard south. STAY OUT OF THE PARISH. There is major tree and power-line damage city-wide. All major arterial roads are impassable.
City of Mandeville:
Flood waters reached to Monroe Street. There are no utilities in the City. There is NO ACCESS south of Hwy 190. The City is in the clearing process.
Town of Folsom:
Trees down, all utilities out. No flooding reported at this time.
Town of Abita Springs:
Trees down, all utilities out. No flooding reported at this time.
Town of Madisonville:
Trees down, all utilities out. Majority of building had some flooding.
The Parish is sending emergency crews to contact areas that have not sent reports to the EOC.
St. Tammany Parish School Board: All schools are closed until further notice.
Are you sure about that? There were several reports that the mayor was at dinner with his family Saturday night when Max Mayfield at the NHC called to implore him in the strongest terms to max out the evacuation.