Shelter information and Hurricane Tracking info
(including Special Needs sheltering)

Special Needs Shelters To Open
http://www.katc.com/global/story.asp?s=8920457

Posted: Aug 29, 2008 09:57 AM CDT
Updated: Aug 29, 2008 09:57 AM CDT

Medical Special Needs Shelters to Open

Telephone lines activated for triage

Baton Rouge - Medical Special Needs Shelters will open today to shelter people identified with Medical Special Needs.  In preparation for the opening of Medical Special Needs Shelters, the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Social Services have activated triage phone lines to help people in need make their plans.   

Medical Special Needs Shelters are designed for individuals who are homebound, chronically ill, or who have disabilities and are in need of medical or nursing care, have no other place to receive care, and cannot evacuate on their own.  The intent of the Medical Special Needs Shelter is to provide, to the extent practical, an environment in which the current level of health of evacuees with special needs can be sustained. Electrical power for support equipment, like oxygen converters, will be provided by generators if local power fails.

The triage phone lines are for individuals to call BEFORE attempting to access these shelters, to ensure the individual is placed appropriately based upon their needs.  The lines activated at 8 a.m. Friday morning. 

Health officials note that if individuals have health problems that require medical expertise and must evacuate, it is best for them to go with family members or caretakers north to areas that are out of harm's way.

Shelters in Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Monroe, Shreveport and Hammond are on standby for this storm. 

Those calling the triage lines will be screened by nurses to determine the level of care needed.  If they need the services provided by the shelter, they will be sheltered.  If their condition is too critical, they will be referred to a hospital for sheltering, or admission.  If their condition is not severe enough for Medical Special Needs Sheltering, they will be referred to a general shelter. 

The telephone numbers to call are:

New Orleans          1-866-280-2068
Baton Rouge          1-800-349-1372
Houma-Thibodaux  1-800-228-9409                     
Lafayette               1-800-901-3210
Lake Charles          1-866-280-2711                     
Alexandria             1-800-841-5778
Shreveport            1-800-841-5776                  
Monroe                 1-866-280-7287
Mandeville             1-866-280-7724

Medical Special Needs Shelters are not designed for the general public or for nursing home patients. Nursing homes in Louisiana are required to have emergency evacuation plans in place that ensure the health and safety of their residents. In most instances, these plans allow for homes in affected areas to transport their patients to nursing homes in areas safe from the storm.

Medical Special Needs Shelters will provide medical support services only. Because of limited staffing, those going to a Medical Special Needs Shelter must have a caretaker to assist with ongoing support, and they should bring all necessary supplies, sheets, blankets, pillows, durable medical equipment, a five day supply of all medications and their driver's license or another form of identification.
Voluntary Evacuation for Lafayette Parish
from http://katc.com site (TV KATC Ch. 3)

Lafayette Parish is under a voluntary evacuation order.  If you need to stay in a shelter you should meet at the Clifton Chenier Center at 6:00 am, that's at 220 West Willow Street.  If you can't drive to the Clifton Chenier Center these pickup sites have been established throughout the parish:

Broussard City Hall (310 East Main Street)
Carencro Middle School, Duson Courthouse Hall
Scott City Hall, Acadiana High School
Youngsville Town Hall

LAFAYETTE:

In Lafayette, you can go to the Rosa Parks Transportation Center
(100 Lee Avenue)
Clifton Chenier Center (220 West Willow Street),
Domingue Recreation Center (906 Mudd Avenue),
Heymann Recreation Center (1500 South Orange Street),
Martin Luther King Center (309 Cora Street),
Macon Road Housing Development (201 Macon Road),
Irene Street Housing Development (1100 Irene Street),
Moss Street Housing Development (1106 Moss Street),
L. Leo Judice (5801 Cameron Street),
Judice Middle School (2645 South Fieldspan Rd),
Milton Elementary School (222 West Milton Ave),
Ridge Elementary School (2901 South Fieldspan Rd).

Shuttles from the above listed locations will begin tomorrow, Sunday only, at 6am and continue through 4pm.  There will be no pickups after 4pm, Sunday August 31.  
Should you need special assistance during the shuttle hours of 6AM - 4PM, please call: (337) 291-5075.

According to staff at the Van Transportation number above, pets are allowed on the vans, but must be in a pet-carrier; bring dog food, water, medications, etc. for your pet.
Call 211, or 232-4356 for Shelter location (currently Alexandria and Shreveport); bring the following supplies clothing, pillows, blankets, supply kit (food, medications, radios, etc.).

Other options for Pets

Louisiana State Animal Response Team
http://lsart.org
< begin text > PET OWNERS in affected Parishes should be preparing NOW to activate their personal pet evacuation plans. 
Neither the State nor LSART will be setting up pet evacuation shelters in the lower half of the state as this may put people and pets in harm's way.  For people who do not have any transportation, Parish OEP will be setting up Parish Pick-Up points for assisted transportation and there may be transportation available there for the pets of those families seeking evacuation assistance but NOT for self-evacuators.  We stress VERY STRONGLY that this should be a LAST RESORT as capacity may be extremely liimited.  Residents who are evacuating are encouraged to locate a boarding facility or a pet-friendly hotel.  Information about pet-friendly hotels can be found at Pets Welcome or at Trips with Pets.  In addition, many motels relax their normal pet policies during evacuation events.  Once you have established where you and your family will be sheltering, you can use on-line yellow pages to try to locate a pet boarding facility in the area.

< end text >

BRING ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS/IDENTIFICATION/MEDICINES ETC.
(from http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=8924700)

Best sources for latest hurricane Gustav, etc. text-and-graphics
forecasts:

Local Media

Tune to KVOL 1330 AM (http://kvol1330.com) for latest local hurricane and evacuation news; they in turn refer to The Advocate’s info on same, at
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/27686174.html, for more storm and shelter information.

Also, KATC TV-3 has good hurricane info, both Public Advisories (red text below the graphic) and a good graphic tracking chart, at
http://www.katc.com/Global/category.asp?C=138482&nav=menu209_3_1 (

Official Hurricane sources

National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
(click on hurricane graphic on map to
get detailed Text and Graphic Advisory)
Weather Underground
Text public advisory
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/at200807.public.html#a_topad
Beaumont Weather.com
http://www.ih2000.net/ira/bmt-wth.htm
(extremely thorough info in text and graphics on all
hurricane activity, projected paths, and evacuation preparedness).

or

Weather Underground:
Graphical 5-day computer models
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200807_model.html#a_topad

Information edited by Richard Phelps, 11:07pm, 30 August 2008
- Disclaimer: the information provided is accurate to the best of the Editor’s
      ability,  but is not responsible for any unforeseen inaccuracies, so please double-  
      check all sources.