Tangipahoa Parish Government

The Tangipahoa River near Robert.
   * from this Evening to Thursday Afternoon.
   * At 8:30am Sunday the Stage was 8.5 Feet.
   * Minor Flooding is Forecast.
   * Flood Stage is 15.0 Feet.
   * Forecast, the River is Expected to Rise Above Flood Stage by tonight
     and Continue to Rise to near 17.0 Feet by Tuesday Morning.
   * Impact, at 17.0 Feet, Low Places Along Highway 22 South of Robert
     will be Under Water. Water will Approach the Entrance Road Of
     Hidden Oaks Campground. Trailers at the Campground will be Unable
     to be Moved Out When the River Reaches 18 Feet.
   * Impact, at 16.0 Feet, Minor Flooding near the River with Beach
     Areas Under Water.
   * Impact, at 15.0 Feet, Minor Flooding near the River.
 

Governor Bobby Jindal has declared the week of March 3 to March 9 to be “Severe Weather Awareness Week” in Louisiana, during which time the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the National Weather Service and other partners encourage the public to learn how to protect themselves, their families and their homes in the event of severe weather.

GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis said, “Because severe weather oftentimes strikes with little or no notice, Louisiana residents should become informed about the risks associated with natural hazards and what they can to make sure their families are safe if bad weather strikes. Hazards such as tornadoes, flash flooding and strong winds can threaten your safety and you should have a plan for what you will do if you find yourself in danger.”

Ken Graham, Meteorologist in Charge of the National Weather Service’s New Orleans/Baton Rouge Weather Forecast Office said, "Late winter and spring are typically the peak season for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in Louisiana. This is a great time to review severe weather safety rules and safety plans."

MAKE A PLAN, PACK A KIT

Families and individuals should have an emergency plan that outlines what they will do if they have to shelter in place because of severe weather and what they will do if they have to evacuate during severe weather.

Sheltering in place means going indoors, closing all windows and doors and staying put until the severe weather has passed and the all clear has been given by your local government. You can get safety information from your local government through the local media, on a battery operated radio or through your parish’s alert system.

Evacuating requires that individuals and families have a plan for where they will go if their homes are unsafe. Identify several friends, family members or others that you can stay with during an evacuation. Remember: when severe weather hits, your original evacuation place may not be available, so you should have a backup plan.

An important part of every family or person’s severe weather plan is packing an emergency kit that includes the items they will need in case they have to shelter in place or evacuate because of severe weather.

This kit should include, among other supplies: flashlight, extra batteries, battery-powered radio and lantern, a first aid kit, canned food and a non-electric can opener, special medical items for any members of the family with special needs, high energy foods like peanut butter and jelly, crackers and granola bars, a utility knife, plastic sheeting, protective clothing and rainwear, a change of clothes for each family member and enough at least three gallons of water per person and pet.

Gathering supplies in one place will help families locate them in the event of a power outage. If a family must leave its home, the kit can go with them.

For a full list of supplies for your emergency kit, visit GetAGamePlan.org

ONLINE RESOURCES

GetAGameplan.org: Louisiana residents can take simple steps to protect themselves, their families, their pets and their homes. GOHSEP provides detailed tips and information online at GetAGameplan.org for how to respond in the event of a tornado, flooding, thunderstorm, hurricane or other severe weather. Residents can also download the GetAGameplan app for Apple iPhones by visiting this site.

Weather.gov: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides detailed, zip code level weather information for the public on its Website. Users can get information about severe weather warnings and alerts and also view forecasts from National Weather Service staff.

Ready.gov: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) outlines what to do in many disaster scenarios on its preparedness site, which also features information for business owners and for parents who want to talk to their children about hazards or disasters.

Listo.gov: Resources in Spanish

School Road

Neal Road

Singing Waterfall Road

Briar Patch Cemetery Road

Magnolia Drive

Louisiana property owners with flood insurance policies whose homes or other structures were damaged during Hurricane Isaac have an additional 60 days to file claims for their flood-related losses. This means most policyholders have until April 22 to complete their proof of loss claims.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) usually requires claims to be reported within 60 days from the date of loss. Four extensions have been granted.

Due to bridge failure, Tangipahoa Parish Government will close Davis Road near Pumpkin Center at 4:00pm today. Davis road will be open to local traffic only. Detours are in place and will remain closed until further notice. 

Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess announced today that phase one of the parish's shoreline erosion project should be completed by the end of next month.

Burgess said the first phase of the $6 million project, which should be completed in February, creates a mesh screen along the Lake Pontchartrain shoreline from the mouth of the Tangipahoa River westward to Pass Manchac.

Fully funded by grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the coastline protection program is designed to reduce the rate of shoreline erosion along the Tangipahoa Parish portion of the Lake Pontchartrain shore by providing breakwater protection against wave action.

The rock "rip rap" over a mesh screen is designed with 10-foot-wide "fish dips" placed at various intervals along the coast to allow for the movement of fish and other aquatic life in the marsh areas.

The project is designed by HDR Engineering, an environmental engineering firm with offices in Lafayette and Texas. Bertucci Contracting Company of Jefferson is the contractor for the build-out.

All design, inspection, and construction costs are being paid by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Burgess said the parish is currently working to secure an additional $7 million in state and federal funds to complete the entire section of Tangipahoa's shoreline that the protection project recommends.

Tangipahoa Parish Government is expected to open bids next month on a new Environmental Health/Services Building to be constructed this year in Hammond.

Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess said parish government will open bids Feb. 15 on the project, which will be built at the Governmental complex on Club Deluxe Road in Hammond.

Burgess previously announced that the facility is being made possible thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the Office of Community Development through the state's Disaster Recovery Unit.

The funding brings Tangipahoa's total Gustav/Ike Disaster Recovery package to $10,032,566, Burgess said.

The new facility will cost an estimated $3.5 million with $1 million paid out of local funds.

The building will house the parish's permitting, planning and environmental services programs. It will also contain a community meeting room which will be available for public use and to host the parish's planning commission meetings.

Once completed, the parish offices currently housed in the Club Deluxe Road Health Unit will be vacated, creating additional space for medical services to be provided for parish residents.

Burgess said the new building will face the Health Unit and share that existing parking lot.

Holly and Smith Architects of Hammond designed the building.

Burgess said the receipt of these grant funds for the project will enable the project to move forward now without increasing the debt load of the parish. Burgess, who implemented a "pay as you go" spending philosophy when he assumed the Parish President's office in 1986, said this project is just one more example of what can be done by leveraging local resources and reaching out to state and federal partners to improve services. 

Click here for Drawings.

Tangipahoa River Near Kentwood

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lix&gage=robl1

Tangipahoa River Near Amite

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lix&gage=amil1

Tangipahoa River At Robert

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lix&gage=robl1

Natalbany River At Baptist

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lix&gage=nrbl1

Good infrastructure lays the groundwork for a better quality of life, says Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess.

And he has the numbers to prove it.

The Parish President points to Tangipahoa's road system as one of the area's biggest assets.

"When we travel to other parishes, we are constantly reminded how much easier it is to travel across our 60-mile long parish than it is in neighboring areas where there are only a few major roadways," said Burgess.

That accessibility and the quality of those roadways are made possible through a one-cent sales tax, established by the voters in 1992. The popular parish tax passed in 2008 with over 81% approval. It will appear on the ballot Nov. 6 for renewal.

"The bulk of the penny tax is responsible for all the road, bridge, and maintenance work completed here in Tangipahoa Parish," he said, adding that the funds are split 75 percent to public works and just a quarter going to operation of parish government.

Since its inception 20 years ago, the tax has funded more than 837 miles of overlay and three-course surface treatment for local roads. That does not count the countless other maintenance calls workers attend to each week--cutting grass and brush, grading and patching roads, cleaning ditches, removing litter, placing road signs, and replacing culverts.  

"That does not count the government-related mandates the tax supports,"

explaining that the state requires parishes to pay the bills to operate local courts, the District Attorney's office, public buildings, and even a jail. "The state tells us we have to pay for it, but they don't send the dollars to make it happen," adding that the quarter portion of the one-cent sales tax addresses those vital services and keeps government going in Tangipahoa.

Tangipahoa parish has been the model for several other parishes around the state.  And the proof is in the pudding. The Parish President said these infrastructure improvements can be directly tied to the parish's progress.

"In 1990, our parish's total retail sales were under $460 million a year.

Today, thanks in great part to the infrastructure this parish has invested in, our retail sales for 2012 are on target to reach $1.7 billion in Tangipahoa Parish," he commented, noting that the parish has averaged six percent growth annually over the last two decades. "We are reaping the rewards, and all the while, we continue to be debt-free.

The parishwide sales tax will be on the Nov. 6 Presidential ballot for renewal.

Early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 23, and continues daily (except Sunday) until Oct. 30, at the Registrar of Voters offices in Hammond and Amite.

Early voting hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and voters must bring a photo ID to cast their ballot.

Unemployment in Tangipahoa Parish is down for the fourth straight month, falling a full percentage point from August to September.

State figures indicate unemployment in Tangipahoa dropped from 8.5 percent in August to 7.5 percent one month later. The September 2012 figures are also significantly better than was reported in September 2011, when the parish posted an 8.4 percent unemployment rate.

Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess said the report, released this week, shows great progress.

"We have literally gone from 5,461 unemployed residents in June 2012 to less than 4,000 without jobs as we go into the final quarter of the year," Burgess said.

According to the latest report, approximately 3,974 Tangipahoa residents are still unable to find jobs.

Burgess has made job creation and retention a priority in 2012. This summer Tangipahoa Parish Government recently brought the office of Economic Development under the parish's auspices and hired Stacey Neal as the new TED Director.

Since May, Tangipahoa Economic Development has recorded the addition of 149 new jobs in the parish and 394 retained jobs. The parish has commitments for

$18.5 million in private business facilities--either new or expansions--and the construction jobs that go along with them.

The parish has also posted 300 jobs at Garden City Group which will last a guaranteed four years, the opening of Intralox, and 355 permanent jobs that will come online in 2013, including expansions at Smitty's, Cameron, Hammond Square, Bradken, Winn Dixie Distribution, LEI, Inc. (Independence), Farm Fresh, Guico Machine, and Cypress Point Surgical Hospital.

Burgess said there are several additional projects that are planned in Tangipahoa but cannot yet be announced. He said the impact of those projects is still being determined, but he sees bright days ahead for this parish.

"There are a lot of good things going on in Tangipahoa Parish right now. I could not be more proud of the community I live in and the people I work with everyday," Burgess said.

Tower Road Building

282 Tower Road

Ponchatoula, LA 70454

204 E. Oak St.

Amite, LA 70422

This brings to 18 the number of centers operating for survivors affected by Hurricane Isaac. More recovery centers will open as sites are identified and approved. For a list of open centers in Louisiana go online to www.fema.gov/disaster/4080.

Applying for disaster assistance is quick and simple. Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. They may also call

1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

seven days a week.

SBA offers federal low-interest disaster loans to residents and businesses. After registering with FEMA, visit any Disaster Recovery Center where SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help each resident or business owner apply to SBA. For SBA information or to apply online, visit www.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 1-800-877-8339.

The major disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaac now makes available federal assistance to eligible survivors in 18 parishes: Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

###

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

SBA is the federal government's primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Businesses that experienced damage or loss due to Hurricane Isaac. There is no appointment necessary, consultants will be on hand to help as people come in.

SBA and SBDC will be available in Tangipahoa Parish on September 26th from 9:00am until 4:30pm to meet with businesses that were impacted by Hurricane Isaac. There will be consultants from SBA here to answer questions and help with loan applications. The SBDC consultants will be on hand to provide long term counseling, help with business needs and continuity plans, and answer questions.
Tangipahoa Parish
Southeast Louisiana Business Center
1514 Martens Drive
Hammond, LA 70401
September 26th
9:00am – 4:30pm

Business owners seeking assistance regarding the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program can meet one-on-one with specialists from the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

All existing SBA loans may be eligible for a deferment, on a case-by-case basis.

SBA customer service representatives will be available to:

• Answer questions about the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan and other loan programs
• Issue loan applications and explain the application process
• Help business owners complete their applications
• Answer questions and provide information regarding previous SBA disaster loans for possible deferral

• Provide long-term, no-cost business counseling
• Provide financial, marketing, and management planning assistance
• Identify immediate needs of the business
• Help re-establish operations or plan for the future
• Help update or rewrite business plans
• Provide loan preparation support
• Assist with preparing loan deferral requests
• Help prepare business continuity plans

Residents in Tangipahoa Parish may bring their storm debris to the parish roadside to be removed.  Vegetative debris and construction debris must be divided into separate piles and not comingled.  The parish will also remove white goods (refrigerators, freezer, washer and dryers, etc.).  Parish crews will begin removing debris on Monday, September, 10, 2012.

Hurricane Isaac Relief Fund Now Accepting Grant Applications

$300,000 in emergency grants now available for nonprofit organizations in affected areas

New Orleans, LA | September 3, 2012 - The Greater New Orleans Foundation announced today the availability of $300,000 to nonprofit organizations working to meet the most pressing needs of individuals and families in the following parishes: Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Terrbonne.

The grants from this fund are to provide direct relief in the form of food, water, and clothing in the wake of the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Isaac throughout the region. “These resources are to help those who need immediate assistance,” said Albert Ruesga, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation.  “We are funding nonprofit organizations that are helping people who have faced incredible hardships and need life’s basics like food, water, and shelter.”

Organizations that wish to apply can access the application on the Foundation’s website here. Grants from this fund will average between $5,000 and $10,000 and the Foundation will continue to make grants until all the funds have been expended.

Applications are also available at the offices of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, 1055 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA.

ABOUT GNOF
The Greater New Orleans Foundation is the community foundation serving the 13-parish Greater New Orleans region. We design and lead initiatives that improve the region, connect donors to community needs, identify and support great nonprofits, and strengthen civil society.  www.gnof.org

Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess has received confirmation that Tangipahoa Parish has been declared for Individual Assistance. Individuals can call for assistance at 1-800-621-3362.

BATON ROUGE, La. – More Louisianians can now apply for federal and state disaster assistance, as Tangipahoa Parish was added Wednesday to the major disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaac.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in Tangipahoa Parish may register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance and report their uninsured or underinsured property damage or destruction from the storm.

“We know there was significant damage in Tangipahoa Parish due to Hurricane Isaac and we want to help,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “Survivors in the parish should register with FEMA so we can start getting assistance to the parish as soon as possible.”

In the week since the major disaster declaration for Louisiana, Individual Assistance (IA) has been made available in 11 parishes: Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John and St. Tammany, and now Tangipahoa.

Disaster assistance for uninsured and underinsured individuals may include:

Grants to help pay for temporary housing and emergency home repairs to make a home habitable;

Grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance;

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Tangipahoa residents affected by the hurricane should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization or local community or church organization. FEMA registrants must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. They will be asked to provide:

Social Security number

Address of the damaged home or apartment

Description of the damage

Information about insurance coverage

A current contact telephone number

An address where they can get mail

Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

9/4

The Town of Roseland's water has been approved by the state as safe to drink

Let's start by busting a myth: It does not protect your windows. 

At best, it's an inconvenience. 

At worst, some people have the illusion that they're safe ... and people can get severely hurt.  

We're referring to placing tape on your windows in advance of a hurricane.  Somewhere, sometime, many years ago, this practice became a staple across the Gulf States region during hurricane season.  Studies have been conducted throughout the years that disprove this practice which does nothing to protect your home.  

The shards can become bigger because they're being held together. You're wasting your time. You're wasting your money and you're potentially increasing the danger in your home.  

Tangipahoa Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Dawson Primes explains, "What we in Emergency Preparedness are on a mission to do is to harvest that same passion and habits for preparedness, but for useful practices such as creating an emergency kit, developing an evacuation plan for your family, and buying and maintaining a generator."

Primes, a military veteran and head of Tangipahoa's emergency preparation efforts since Katrina, says getting a game plan together is an everyday project, not just a seasonal event.

"Let's make doing some or all of these things common place," Primes said, adding that his office often hears from residents who want to know what role OHSEP plays outside hurricane season.

"Rest assured that Parish Government prepares 365 days a year and stands ready to respond to any event that should arise. One of the most important things that we do is Public Education about Self Preparedness," Primes said.  

Burgess adds, "The question we would like to hear everyone ask is 'What else can I do to protect me and my family?' and 'Is there some way I could volunteer to help my community in a disaster?'"  

The answer to the first question is that preparedness is an ongoing process.  

Primes said, "You are never 100% prepared.  Citizens should be diligent in reassessing their preparedness level on a continuous basis and doing whatever it takes to fill in the gaps. As Mr. Burgess always says, 'If you think you're going to need it, GET IT!'"  

Burgess adds, "The absolute best thing citizens can do is stay informed." To that end, parish officials post updates on approaching weather events and road closures on their website, www.tangipahoa.org, and they continue to make news releases available through the local newspapers, TV, and radio stations.

Don't Be A Victim, Get Prepared and Stay Prepared!

For information on the CERT program, creating an Emergency Kit or advice on being  better prepared for not only Hurricane season, but for any event, please visit our website at www.tangisafe.com