Calcasieu OEP Info 10-7 updated 5pm

Calcasieu OEP Fact Sheet 10-7
Updated 5pm


· “Calcasieu Comeback,” a permanent re-entry plan for residents evacuated for Hurricane Rita, is underway. The re-entry plan is for the entire parish except for the town of Vinton, which will remain on a “look and leave” status. The Calcasieu Comeback plan is specifically designed to include residents who have electricity, potable water and operating sewer and who can be self-sufficient.

An announcement on the status of Vinton will be made when the infrastructure improves.

· A full dusk-to-dawn curfew remains in effect for Vinton, Starks and Iowa. The remainder of the parish has a pedestrian curfew from dusk to dawn.

· All public water systems in the parish are safe to drink except Water District #8 of Wards Three and Eight. It is still listed on the state DHH list of districts requiring boiling of water as of 5pm Thursday. Many private water systems are also on boil orders. Residents on private systems should contact those systems for information.
· The Regular Meeting of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury originally scheduled for Thursday, October 6, 2005, has been rescheduled and will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 in the Police Jury Meeting Room on the first floor of the Parish Government Building, which is located at 1015 Pithon Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The purpose of this meeting is to take appropriate action on items originally scheduled for consideration at the Regular Meeting on September 22, 2005, which was cancelled due to the mandatory evacuation of the Parish for Hurricane Rita, as well as items scheduled for consideration on October 6, 2005.
· In anticipation of the vast majority of Calcasieu Parish residents having electricity service by this weekend, all Police Jury employees should return to their work locations on Monday, October 10th for normal operating hours. Any exceptions to this date due to hardship must be approved by the employee's department head. Please contact your department head directly as necessary.

· Calcasieu Parish Library Director Jeff Rippel is asking his employees with water, sewer and electricity to begin returning home. The library system hopes to open most of its branches later next week. For more information employees can call 721-3530.

· Police plan to close Interstate 210 beginning at 2:30pm Saturday for approximately two hours. The closure is to allow electrical crews to repair lines across the interstate.

· Calcasieu Parish officials have issued an executive order requiring all individuals and businesses performing services in the parish to obtain a temporary work permit. The permits will be available at the Parish Government building at 1015 Pithon St. in Lake Charles between 8am and 5pm weekdays. There is no charge.

· The American Red Cross of SWLA is seeking local volunteers to help with distribution of financial assistance to local residents affected by Hurricane Rita. Please call 478-5122 to help.

· Calcasieu Parish has announced Blue Roof program sign-up locations with tarps for temporary roof repair. Call 1-888-ROOFBLU for details. This number is for informational purposes only. You must register in person at one of the sites.

Parish Government Building Time: 9:00am-5:30pm
1015 Pithon Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Martin Luther King Center
2009 North Simmons and Time: 9:00am-5:30pm

Moss Bluff United Methodist Church Time: 9:00am-5:30pm
735 Sam Houston Jones Parkway
Moss Bluff, LA 70611

Vinton City Hall Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
1200 Horridge Street
Vinton, LA 70664

Fire Station No. 2 Time: 9:00am-5:30pm
3501 Maplewood Dr.
Sulphur, LA 70663

Fire Station No. 3 Time: 9:00am-5:30pm
200 Darbonne
Sulphur, LA 70663

Iowa City Hall
115 N. Thompson

Tarps for temporary repairs are available at all supply distribution sites (Civic Center, Old Wal Mart in Sulphur and Old Wal Mart in Moss Bluff. Vinton Elementary, Iowa High School and Phelps Correctional Center will be added later). These are not the same as the Blue Roof Tarps.

The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Program is also providing tarping and tree-removal services at First Baptist Church in Lake Charles at 830 Hodges and at First Baptist Church of Maplewood 4501 Maplewood Drive in Sulphur.


· The Calcasieu Parish Animal Services feeding and watering program will continue until power is restored to the majority of the community. Units are in the field seven days a week going door-to-door to ensure that all animals are safe and nourished.

Dog and cat food will also be available at the six food locations located through the parish beginning Monday October 3.

Animal Services will only pick up those animals found as strays in need of veterinary care. For additional information, please contact Animal Services at 439-8879. This number was given incorrectly previously

· Regular daily garbage pickup has resumed in Lake Charles

Sulphur garbage pickup has resumed on the normal days of the week.

Waste Management, which provides garbage collection for unincorporated area residents of Calcasieu Parish, will resume their house-to-house routes on Monday, October 10th, for household garbage only. Residents are asked to place their container at the curb no later than their normal day of collection during the week. Delays can be expected due to the storm, so everyone’s patience is appreciated during this recovery period.

The drop-off sites provided by Waste Management at the Ward One Barn on Parish Road, Burton Coliseum, Fisherman’s Headquarters in Carlyss, the Ward Six Fire Station #3, and the Waste Management Transfer Station on Highway 90 East will discontinue operation at the end of today, Friday, October 7th.


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is asking residents in parishes where hurricane removal work is in progress, as assigned by FEMA and managed by the Corps of Engineers, to separate items to facilitate efficient removal.

Debris should be placed curbside and separated into the following categories:
1. Metal
2. Vegetative (tree limbs, leaves, etc.)
3. Large appliances like refrigerators, stoves, air conditioners, etc.
4. Construction and demolition debris (carpeting, roofing siding, etc.)

· The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Parish Government Building at 1015 Pithon Street in Lake Charles is open with limited services available M-F 8am-pm. Call 721-3500 for information.

· Calcasieu Parish officials are not set up to accept donations of goods. Local officials say that process will begin at a later time when services are restored. Local charities should handle donations and distribution of goods on their own until further notice.

· Salvation Army’s Canteen Locations today (10/7):
Sulphur Kroger
Oakley Apts. On Hwy 90
Pin Oak Trailer Park
Iowa: Lawrence Toups Park
Starks: Starks Silver Dollar 109 River Rd.
Vinton: Vinton Elementary
Hackberry: Hackberry Community Center
Moss Bluff: Wal-Mart
Westlake: Community Center
Lake Charles: Martin Luther King Center
Wilshire Plaza on 5th Ave.
LeBleu Chevron @ Hwy. 3059
Cameron Recreation Center
Johnson Bayou Roving
Holly Beach Roving
Welsh Southern BBQ

· Primary Supply Distribution Sites:
Lake Charles
-Civic Center

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

Moss Bluff
-Old Wal Mart

Secondary sites

Vinton
-Vinton elementary
Iowa
-Iowa High School

Residents will be given water, and ice. MREs are no longer available. Residents in need of food should seek Salvation Army and Red Cross locations.

Mosquito repellent is also available at the distribution sites.

· A parish-wide burning ban is in effect. This ban includes all municipalities as well as unincorporated areas.

· Black Bayou pontoon bridge is open for vehicle traffic from 7am-9am, and again from 3pm –5pm. The remainder of the day the bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic to allow marine traffic only.

· Residents are encouraged to call 211 for information on relief help rather than further stressing emergency officials. Please do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.

· Residents with distressed vessels need to contact the Coast Guard before salvaging at 337-912-0074.

· Restaurants attempting to open must have clearance from the Office of Public Health. Call 475-3200.

· DHH has a website for questions related to Hurricane’s Rita and Katrina. www.dhhemergencynews.com

· Calcasieu Parish School Board has established a phone line for employees temporarily displaced for information at 1-866-490-1647.