As Hurricane Ida targets the Baton Rouge area, Mayor Sharon Weston Boome urges all residents to be prepared and hunker down.
“It’s a serious situation. We want people to take shelter at their homes right now unless they have a plan prepared to leave town,” Mayor Boome told WWL’s Tommy Tucker.
While Ida will be a major hurricane when it makes landfall near Southeast Louisiana, Baton Rouge is not under a mandatory evacuation as mayor Boome stressed the need to be prepared.
“I’ve been emphasizing preparation and I really do think our citizens are adhering to that message.”
Boome says residents should be prepared for days without power and other emergency resources.
“Remember, we are in the middle of two crises, a hurricane, and a pandemic,” said Boome. “And so, they have to be cognizant and aware of that.”
At her press briefing Saturday morning, mayor Boome says workers with the Department of Public Works ensured pumps are working, generators are fueled and Capital Lake is drained by two feet to accept the deluge of rain to come.
Baton Rouge search and rescue teams are standing by with fifteen high-water vehicles, ready to respond to emergencies within East Baton Rouge Parish said Boome.
Boome also urged residents to stay up-to-date with the latest information through Red Stick Alerts.
Residents can sign up to receive the latest emergency alerts by texting REDSTICKREADY to (225) 243-9991