9-28 daily fact sheet from Calcasieu OEP

As of 5:00pm:

· Residents are still encouraged not to return to Calcasieu Parish. Officials are working on a re-entry plan. Residents should expect further details on the re-entry no later than Thursday of this week.

· All state highways in Calcasieu Parish are open. Interstate through-traffic is now on Interstate-10. Interstate 210 is closed to through traffic and is accessible only by checkpoints. People traveling within the parish should avoid using the interstate system.

· The office of emergency preparedness urges all residents currently in Calcasieu Parish to use safety when driving on the roadways. All residents are asked to stop at all intersections. Each intersection should be treated as a four way stop sign. Many drivers are speeding through an intersection putting other drivers at risk.

· Parish President Hal McMillin has issued a parish-wide burning ban. This ban includes all municipalities as well as unincorporated areas.

· A curfew still remains in effect from dusk till dawn parish-wide.

· The City of Lake Charles has established drop-off locations for household garbage (no storm debris or limbs) at the following locations:

MLK Center -2009 Simmons
Reynaud Middle School –745 Shattuck
TH Watkins Elementary –2501 7th Avenue
Barbe Elementary –Penn St.
LaGrange HS -3420 Louisiana Ave
FK White Middle School –1000 East McNeese
Barbe High School –2200 West McNeese

· DOTD has announced a schedule for the Black Bayou Pontoon Bridge to be available for vehicle traffic. The bridge will be in place from sunrise to 10am daily for vehicle traffic. The remainder of the day it will be for marine traffic only.

· The Environmental Health Department of The Louisiana Office of Public Health has determined that Sulphur City water is safe to drink.

· Primary Supply Distribution Sites:
Lake Charles
-Civic Center

Sulphur
-Climatrol Building (old Wal Mart) Cities Service Highway.

Moss Bluff
-Old Wal Mart

Secondary sites

DeQuincy
-Phelps Correctional Center

Vinton
-Vinton elementary
Iowa
-Iowa High School
Residents will be given MREs, water, and ice. We are working this with both military and FEMA sources. We ask that residents please be patient with supplies. People living in outlying areas with a vehicle should go to three primary sites. If they are unable to drive there, they should contact their local fire department. Local fire departments will travel to distribution sites to get commodities.



· Residents outside of parish that are currently displaced are encouraged to look to the following websites for information:
-www.kplctv.com
-www.americanpresslc.com
-www.cppj.net (information is limited at this time)


· The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has closed all waterways in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes to all vessel traffic other than approved commercial and emergency traffic.

· The Salvation Army announces mobile kitchen locations for Wednesday, Sept. 28. Some locations will remain stationary, while others will change daily. Addresses of the following locations have not been given to the OEP at this time. The Salvation Army is prepared to make 14,000 meals today. The following locations are:
Kaplan, Vinton, 171 Family Dollar (outside of Moss Bluff), Lebleu, DeQuincy, Singer, Starks, Westlake, Iowa, Hackberry.
Representatives from Salvation Army are traveling to Cameron to scout locations for mobile kitchens. That information should be made available tomorrow (Thursday).
· American Red Cross announces feeding sites today in Calcasieu and Beauregard parishes. The following locations are:
Calcasieu
Lake Charles: LC Civic Center, capable of feeding 10,000
Sulphur: First Baptist of Maplewood , capable of feeding 5,000
Vinton: A site is currently being set up and should be online later today. Location has not been given.
Beauregard
Deridder: Dollar General store, feeding 1,200
South Beauregard Electric, feeding 1,200
Merryville football stadium 1,200
· The American Red Cross is not giving out vouchers to contractors interested in performing work in Calcasieu Parish. This is not a service the Red Cross provides.
· City officials are asking residents of Lake Charles to conserve their water usage. Water and sewer facilities are limited at this time. As previously mentioned, all water should be boiled and treated before consumption.




Tom Hoefer
Calcasieu Parish