This hurricane season, Lafourche Parish is looking out for people and families with special needs. They want to make sure they have help getting out of town in the event of an evacuation order.
Lafourche Parish Emergency Preparedness is trying to reach people with special needs as soon as possible who would need help if a storm heads our way to get them to a shelter specifically for them.
“We're looking for people that don't have their own means. We're looking for people who may be morbidly obese, people who are bedridden, people who have their own care givers. That's one of the requirements for a special needs patient, is you will have to have your own caregiver accompany you to the special needs shelter,” said Brennan Matherne with Lafourche Parish Government.
Once the information is gathered, it will be handed to the state which is setting up special needs shelters. The parish wants to do this soon before a system forms into a hurricane.
Ann Bruno with the Office of Emergency Preparedness says it's important special needs patients think about their medical machines and medicines now.
“Make sure that everyone, when they evacuate has their machines with them, because if they do go to a special needs shelter, they're not going to supply them with the machines, and all their current medications filled, that they're taking on a daily basis,” Bruno said.
Depending on the category of storm, the parish will also help those who are not considered special needs but don't have transportation with shelter.
There are 3 shelters in the parish considered refuges of last resort: Central Lafourche High School, Thibodeaux High School and Larose Civic Center. If an evacuation is called they may be used as pick up points to get people out of town.
Lafourche parish has a partnership with a church in Monroe in case there is an evacuation.
Right now the priority is reaching people with special needs, and getting them signed up soon.
For more information, or to register, call 985-532-8174.
