Rescue – If you have an immediate medical need and have to evacuate ASAP call 911. If you need help to evacuate but everyone is medically stable, call the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) for your parish. GOHSEP contact information for each parish is available at http://gohsep.la.gov/about/parishpa or call GOHSEP main phone number at (225) 916-4905.
GOHSEP Parish Contacts – http://gohsep.la.gov/about/parishpa
Severe Weather Warnings – https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/la.php?x=1
Road Closures – http://www.511la.org/
Special Needs Assistance. If you or someone you know with a disability is stranded due to a natural disaster and contacting 911 or other local emergency responders has not produced the necessary response, or if assistance is needed with identifying a medically suitable shelter, please call/text Bambi Polotzola, Executive Director, Louisiana Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs at (225) 421-6857 or email at bambi.polotzola@la.gov
Special Needs Help Line. Please CALL (504) 430-3604 for assistance with special needs, disabilities, and medical assistance if you are affected by a natural disaster in Louisiana. This is a SPECIAL NEEDS HELP LINE that will connect your information to GOHSEP working special needs assistance. When calling, please provide as much of the following information as possible:
- Name of someone at the location
- Number of people at location
- Name of person with disability or health/medical need
- Nature of need
- Address of location
- Phone number of someone at location and their name
- Name of person reporting need
- Let us know of other needs if possible
- Status of home, e.g., is water in the home, if so, how high? If not, how close to home and is it rising
- Any other needs (e.g., medicine, food, water)?
HOW TO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HELP IN AN EMERGENCY!
1. If immediate medical/health need, call 911! If you cannot get through to 911, call GOHSEP at (225) 916-4905. If health is stable, call parish GOHSEP – http://gohsep.la.gov/about/parishpa.
2. Post what is needed.
3. Post your name, address of your location, and a phone # at that location.
4. Post # of people with you that need assistance.
5. Post if anyone has special needs, medical emergencies, or urgent medical needs or disabilities.
6. Post if the water is in the house, around the house, or how close it is.
7. Let us know if you have already called anyone for assistance, and who, write down the numbers you called if you can in case your phone goes out.
HOW TO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HELP FOR SOMEONE ELSE IN AN EMERGENCY!
1. Stay calm
2. See if you have all the info listed above.
3. If not, contact the person and get the info above and then cross post for them. If not, it will take longer to get the info sent in to proper persons.
- Flood Safety Information – http://www.redcross.org/local/louisiana/flood-information
- Generator Safety –https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/5820, https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/portable_generators.pdf
- Emergency Preparedness – https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/subhome/17, https://gohsep.la.gov/PREPARE/EMERGENCY-PREPAREDNESS-GUIDE, https://www.getagameplan.org/
- Find Open Shelters – http://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery/find-an-open-shelter
- Deaf Focus offers support and Resources for Louisiana disaster victims who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing. For more information:
4332 Rhoda Dr.
Baton Rouge,LA 70186
V: 225-319-5586
VP: 225-341-6398
Fax:225-308-4025
Email: Paula@deaffocus.org
Website: www.deaffocus.org
- Pet Shelters – https://www.ready.gov/animals
- American Red Cross – Louisiana – http://www.redcross.org/local/louisiana
- Food Assistance – http://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/disaster-assistance
- FEMA Disaster Assistance – https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance – https://www.disasterassistance.gov/get-assistance/forms-of-assistance/4466/0/d05
- Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program – https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
What to bring when evacuating
Anyone evacuating to a Red Cross shelter should bring essential items for each member of the family, as possible:
• Prescriptions and emergency medications
• Foods that meet unusual dietary requirements
• Identification to show residence is in affected area and important personal documents
• Hygiene supplies and other comfort items
• Supplies needed for children and infants, such as diapers, formula and toys
• Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled
• Chargers for any electronic devices you bring with you
How to Help
Volunteer Sign-up. If you want to volunteer to help victims of natural disasters, call the Red Cross at 855-489-2528 or sign up at http://volunteerlouisiana.gov/
How to Report Disaster Damage
For those who have damage, call and report to FEMA at 1-800-621-3362. You’ll need date of damage, all SS#’s of those in household, insurance company, address, PHOTOS of your flood damage (will help with your claim), and gross income. They’ll take the application over the phone.
To get accurate assessments of how many have been affected and are in need of assistance, everyone needs to call 1-800-621-3362. Disaster assistance kits can be obtained by dialing 1-800-829-3676.