Terrebonne Parish Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

2012 HURRICANE ISAAC

SEE WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION POSTED!

Isacc Pm Update 8-31-2012
http://www.tpcg.org/view.php?f=main&p=news&i=468

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9/13/08

Leslie Teltoe
leslie@citizenactionteam.org

These events all took place on 9/13/08:

Received an urgent call from Natalie Bergeron of Bayou Grace asking for 10 - 5 gallon or more gas cans and lifejackets to help run the 4 wheelers to the recent Chauvin/Ward 7 potential levee breech.

While speaking to Natalie, she received a call from LEAN out of New Orleans. They advised they put lifejackets on a credit card after hearing the plea on HTV10 for them and they were on their way over.

I called Jerrold Richard, Homeland Security & Office of Emergency Preparedness Director. I was on hold too long and gave up. I called back and was passed to Pat Babin (a Sheriff).

He had a very annoyed demeanor and said "We have it covered. Were staged at Ward 7 at the VFW, you must be getting a call from a citizen, tell her we have it covered. We have 4 wheelers there and they have everything they need.”

I called Natalie back, thinking this was good news and she said "well I'm at the Chauvin fire station next door to the staging site and we don't have gas cans, we don’t have lifejackets for 300 volunteers risking their lives to save this community and we don't have shovels.” I gave her Pat Babin's number.

I assumed her call to him would take care of everything since there was clearly a lack of communication from "his operation/staging site".

3:10 CST: I called Natalie back to see if Mr. Babin was able to help. He refused to take her call earlier.

Here’s the rundown per Natalie & what I was able to put together:

EOC had no sandbags in the spots they expected to need to shore up the levees. When they asked for them the day before knowing they would be needed, they were "laughed at.” They said "we aren't going to need sandbags" and belittled them for asking.

Mr. Babin communicated to me in such a way that made it 'appear' that the operation was overseen by him and that the "4 wheelers are ours and we are taking care of it and we have all the supplies needed to take care of the situation".

In conclusion, he basically did not want to be bothered with a citizen asking for gas cans so that they could continue to run the 4wheelers back and forth to the breech. There were "no lifejackets, no sandbags, no shovels in place" ahead of time at the ready for what was clearly and obviously a preparedness need prior to protect the bayou communities.

Also, the only reason local fire stations have Lanset Radio's and Repeating Stations is because a citizen (Laura Crochet) made it happen.

The latest word from Natalie is they won't be needing the gas cans because they had to pull the 300 CITIZEN volunteers because it's no longer safe or effective to sandbag. Apparently, the pumping station fell over and was actually a help in plugging up a portion of the levee. There were some scary moments with the large gas tank. Those citizens (including children) put their lives on the line to protect their community and there wasn't one lifejacket available until a citizen showed up with them.

There was no coordination by the EOC or Sherriff's office on this operation other than basically putting out a call to citizens in the community for the 4 wheelers. These were not emergency management or parish employees. Apparently, when your own fire rescue and active citizens are trying to save their community, Pat Babin of the Terrebonne Parish is too busy to take a live emergency call and he's got it "covered”.

In addition to this account, an officer manning the barracade not 100 yards from the Chauvin Fire Station where the gas cans, lifejackets and shovels were needed, citizens answering the call for help with these supplies were turned away. The officer told them they could not enter, and it never occurred to him that folks could leave the urgent supplies on the side of the road and volunteers could walk over from 100 yards away to retrieve them without putting anyone in danger (allowing them through the barracade. One resident who brought over 4 of his personal lifejackets tosses them out the window and told the officer "Than you take care of it!".

The officer never radioed or called the Fire Station to let them know that the supplies were starting to arrive. For a detailed account of the phone conversation that took place at approximately 5:30 pm CST between Natalie Bergeron and Sherriff Pat Babin, please contact her directly.

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9/12/08 LTel:

I learned today that Jerrold Richard no longer works for the EOC and is assisting in the Sherriff's dept. I have no idea who has replaced him or if he has been replaced.

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Office of Homeland
Security and Emergency Preparedness:

Director: Jerrold Richard
Email: jarichard@tpcg.org

500 Honduras Street
Houma, LA 70360
(985) 873-6357 - 24 Hours
(985) 850-4643 - FAX
E-mail: oep@tpcg.org

Barbara Dupre, Office Mgr.: brdupre@tpcg.org