I apologize for the lack of communication during the past couple of months. During the storm at the end of April, an electrical surge destroyed my computer and external hard drive which contained all of the information from the association. It has taken a while to somewhat rebuild this information and some may be lost forever. This is why we ask you to fill out new information sheets each year. We also decided to cancel the Membership Appreciation Dinner because the storm also destroyed my parents’ home in Harahan and they were forced to move into my home. I also had some personal health issues which needed to be addressed, which left no one to prepare the dinner with such short notice.
Our meeting on Tuesday, July 14th, at the Golden Age Center in Jefferson Playground for 7:00pm, will be our annual Hurricane Preparation Meeting. The Jefferson Parish Emergency Management Personnel will be on hand to give us any new information we may need to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. We will also have State Representative Cameron Henry, Councilman Paul Johnston, and Fred Trowbridge from Senator Steve Scalise’s office to offer any further information. Also in addition to our regular 50/50 raffle, we will have two weather radios to give for door prizes.
To help you prepare here is a list of things you should do if a storm approaches our area: You should use only hurricane proof shutters or panels, or at least 5/8” thick plywood to cover windows and glass doors. Taping you windows is no protection against a storm. Pick up anything that could fly around in the wind including your garbage cans. You need to secure items that can be blown around and damage you or your neighbor’s property. Make sure you tie down your patio furniture, garbage cans, toys, bicycles, lawn mowers, or anything you cannot put indoors. If you have a swimming pool you can throw patio furniture or anything that will not float. Now is a good time to check your trees for lose or broken branches. Remove them to prevent more damage. Clean any catch basins or street drains of debris such as leaves and trash. Also clean any debris from the curbs in front of your home. This could help prevent water damage from flooding. Please do not blow grass and leaves into catch basins, drains or into the streets. This is not only illegal but, prevents the flow of water to the pump stations, which now will be manned throughout a hurricane event. Should you see someone blowing grass and leaves into the streets or drains, please report them to the Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs at (504) 736-6440, or email to JPEnvironmental@jeffparish.net. They can be fined up to $500.00 for a first offense.
Please check any elderly or infirmed family, neighbor, or friends and be sure they are in a safe place or have the means to be evacuated to a safe place to ride out the storm. The parish will also evacuate from the Yenni Building to an evacuation shelter.
Be sure to have enough of your prescription medicine to hold you for at least two weeks. You will need at least one gallon of water per person per day and enough to least for two weeks. Don’t forget to fill your bath tub with water. Should the water be shut off, you will need it to flush toilets and wash. Be prepared with flash lights, portable televisions, battery powered radios, and plenty of extra batteries. You could be without electricity for a week or more. Have nonperishable food to last two weeks or more. Get a list of phone numbers of family, friends, and neighbors. Remember, should you decide to stay, there will be no emergency assistance till the storm threat is over. Do not go near downed power lines. Call Entergy and let them know as soon as possible. Be safe at all costs.
Your car should be filled with gas and, if possible, extra gas on hand for generators and your car, because more than likely, there will be no electricity and gas pumps will not be oeprational. Should you have a generator, do not place it under a carport, porch, or patio; carbon monoxide fumes will build up in your home and could kill you. Keep generator at least ten feet from doors and windows. Do not connect generator to your electrical panel unless you have the proper equipment because you could be sending electricity back through utility lines and could kill or severely injure the person or persons working to restore power. Stay away from downed power lines.
I hope to see all of you at our Membership Meeting on Tuesday, July 14th.
Thank you,
Kennith Lassalle
President
Suburban Terrace Civic Association
suburbanterracecivicassoc@cox.net