| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 6823 | 2009-05-22 | Statewide | Mississippi and Louisiana Officials to Hold Joint Hurricane Preparedness News Conference |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent HEADQUARTERS- NEWS RELEASE **(Release sent on behalf of Mississippi Department of Transportation)** Mississippi and Louisiana Officials to Hold Joint Hurricane JACKSON, MS- Thursday, May 21, 2009---The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will host a Hurricane Preparedness News Conference that will include officials from Mississippi and Louisiana on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 3 p.m. at the I-59 Welcome Center in Picayune, Pearl River County, Mississippi. This will coincide with the National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 25 through May 29. This news conference is to promote awareness and urge preparation for the upcoming hurricane season beginning June 1 through November 30. Preparedness News Conference in Pearl River County MDOT will join with other agency officials involved in the planning and implementation of hurricane preparedness in both Mississippi and Louisiana to discuss the upcoming hurricane season. Officials attending the news conference will include Colonel Michael Edmonson, Louisiana State Police Superintendent, Larry L. “Butch” Brown, MDOT Executive Director, Mike Womack, MEMA Director, MDPS Commissioner Steve Simpson, Bill Ankner, LADOTD Secretary, Mark Cooper, Director of the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and local officials. “As hurricane season quickly approaches, this year’s prediction is 12 named storms, six of which are expected to become hurricanes,” said MDOT Executive Director Larry L. “Butch” Brown. “It is imperative we form strategic and strong partnerships with other agencies in order to have a successful emergency plan in place so we can meet the needs of the public. It is vital that every agency and emergency responder be prepared and ready in case of a hurricane.” Topics to be discussed include: · Contraflow information. · Continued cooperation between Mississippi and Louisiana to facilitate orderly and safe evacuation. · Importance of having a disaster supply kit and family emergency plan that includes provisions for pets. · Evacuation destination and route planning. (Scram Northbound) · Information for transportation or medical special needs citizens · Methods of timely evacuation information including Mississippi and Louisiana websites. “As agencies meet to discuss emergency preparedness, it creates a strong partnership that solves problems more quickly when disaster strikes,” said MDOT Office of Enforcement Director Willie Huff. “We want to be as effective as possible during a disaster so we can respond and coordinate emergency efforts in a timely manner. This news conference demonstrates the collaborative approach that has been put in place to ensure that we can act quickly in an emergency situation.” For more information about the Hurricane Preparedness News Conference, please contact MDOT Office of Enforcement Director Willie Huff or Carrie Adams at (601) 359-7656 . You may also contact: Sgt. Markus L. Smith Public Affairs Unit Louisiana State Police – Headquarters Office: (225) 925-6202 markus.smith@dps.la.gov www.LSP.org | |||
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