Hurricane Preparedness & Procedures
The Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. works closely with all local, regional, and state officials and agencies to ensure the safety of our team, members, clients, visitors, and community. We monitor the Gulf closely and communicate when a threat of a storm develops maintaining communication before, during, and after a storm/emergency/disaster.
Sign up for general alerts from Jefferson Parish by texting JPALERT to 888-777. Spanish-speaking residents can text JPNOTICIAS to 888-777
Below are updates as of Thursday, September 12 at 2pm:
Government Buildings, Libraries & JPRD
All Jefferson Parish government facilities, Head Start and Early Head Start Centers, all Jefferson Parish libraries, and JPRD parks and playgrounds are closed today (Thursday, September 12) and will remain closed tomorrow, Friday, September 13.
Sheltering
The Terrytown Playground (641 Heritage Avenue, Terrytown, LA 70056) will close tomorrow, Friday, September 13 for residents in need of shelter. A new shelter on the east bank in Metairie will open at Bright Playground (Ney Rey Park, 3401 Cleary Ave, Metairie, LA 70002). Please be advised that residents should bring their own food/water as the playground will only provide shelter and power for medical devices at this time. Oxygen tanks for residents without power can also be provided. Please call 504.349.5360 for more information.
Curbside Garbage Collection
There will be no curbside garbage collection today, Thursday, September 12 and all Jefferson Parish trash drop-off sites and the Jefferson Parish Landfill are closed. Curbside garbage collection will begin tomorrow, Friday, September 13 and trash drop-off sites will reopen. Garbage can lids must be able to close in order to ensure pickup.
Transit
Jefferson Parish Transit and Paratransit services have been restored. Regular Paratransit services have resumed within Jefferson Parish only. Please note, there will be no same-day services provided to any other parish until Jefferson Parish confirms that roads are cleared for safe travel. Jefferson Parish Transit's top priority is the safety of their employees and riders, as a precaution, buses will travel at reduced speeds and will treat all main intersections as four-way stops. For assistance with Paratransit or bus services during this time, please contact Jefferson Parish Transit dispatcher at 504-889-7194. Continue to monitor updates on Transit's website at www.jptransit.org.
Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services
The Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services shelter (2701 Lapalco Boulevard, Harvey, LA 70058) will be closed to the public today, Thursday, September 12. To report an animal control incident, please call 504-349-5536 during regular business hours; for after hours, call 504-554-4744.
Conserve Water
Due to infiltration into the sewer system caused by Hurricane Francine and recent heavy rains, we are asking all Jefferson Parish residents to limit non-essential water usage, including activities like washing dishes and doing laundry in an effort to minimize overloading the Parish sewerage system. Although there is no official time frame for when this will end, parish leaders are optimistic it could be sometime tomorrow, Friday, September 13.
Home Damage
Please report any damage to your home to Damage.la.gov. Information collected here will help parish, state, and federal authorities better understand the location and severity of damage impacts.
School Closures
Jefferson Parish will be closing all schools and central offices Thursday, September 12. They will continue to provide timely updates via JCampus, their
social media channels,
website, and local news outlets. Any new announcements or changes will be communicated as soon as possible. Your safety and the safety of your family are their top priorities.
For your convenience, we have compiled a list of helpful online resources:
State of Louisiana Emergency Website
Road Closure Map or dial 511 or 888-ROAD-511 (888-762-3511)
Jefferson Parish Police Department
State Shelter Information: text LASHELTER to 898211 or call 2-1-1
Louisiana Crisis Hotline: text REACHOUT to 741741 (available 24/7)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Louisiana
Department of Children & Family Services or CLICK HERE to locate a loved one
DSNAP or text LASNAP to 898211
Entergy Storm Center
Entergy help hotline: 1-800-368-3749 (ENTERGY)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or dial 1-800-624-FEMA (3362)
Jefferson Transit
Jefferson Parish School District
United Way
American Red Cross
Shelter In Place Safety Tips
Louisiana Flood Maps
Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
Blue Roof Program
LOCAL NEWS CHANNELS & RADIO STATIONS
Medical Needs
If you have a medical or mobility need and cannot get to a bus stop, you may enroll in the Jefferson Parish Medical Needs Registry by clicking HERE.
Registering online is the best way to enroll, but if that is not available, you can call 504-323-1818 and leave a message. We will contact you once we have received your application to let you know if you qualify to be picked up at home during a mandatory evacuation. The Jefferson Parish Medical Needs Registry is not a guarantee of services, and the best method of evacuation is with your loved ones.
Public Assisted Evacuations
For individuals who do not have access to their own transportation outside of the parish, they can use public-assisted evacuation. Public-assisted evacuation will only be available in a mandatory evacuation. If you need to use public assisted Evacuation, Jefferson Transit buses will pick up individuals and their pets at all bus stops across the parish. Then you will be brought to a centralized location where you get onto buses, trains, or planes to be evacuated to large shelters in Northern Louisiana or a surrounding state. You won’t have a choice in what shelter you go to. You will be brought back to Jefferson Parish through the same system once it is safe to return to the parish.
All citizens entering the public-assisted evacuation must adhere to the following conditions:
- One suitcase or clothing bag per citizen that is no larger than 30” x 16” in size. All baggage must sit in the citizen’s lap and cannot be placed in the aisle of the bus.
- No pets of any type are allowed on the buses unless they are placed in a cage or kennel.
- No weapons of any kind, including firearms, knives, mace, etc., are allowed on the buses.
- No illegal drugs or substances are allowed on the buses.
- No alcohol will be allowed on the buses.
- No ice chests except those that are one gallon in size or smaller will be allowed.
- No other items, such as chairs, large radios, etc., will be allowed on the buses unless contained in the one 30 x 16-inch suitcase allowed to each evacuee.
- No smoking will be allowed inside of a bus at any time during the evacuation process.
Pets:
Most pets can be evacuated with their families. Please bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier with you to the bus stop. You will also want to bring the pet's medications, food, and vaccination records.
Helpful Business Links
