Emergency Response Guidelines in Louisiana: What You Need to Know

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has developed guidelines for the New Orleans metropolitan area, which are available for distribution through the Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (parochial OHSEP), the American Red Cross, and some United Way offices. In order to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and school employees, Louisiana requires all public elementary and secondary schools to prepare, maintain, and implement a crisis management and response plan. The American Red Cross and United Way have specific locations where they distribute these guidelines. The Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guides provide citizens of the New Orleans, Lafayette metropolitan area, with 26% of Lake Charles residents, with maps and countercurrent routes to evacuate when disasters threaten coastal areas.

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) also provides updates on Twitter and Facebook. The Emergency Management Institute offers self-paced courses designed for people with emergency management responsibilities and for the general public. Additionally, the REMS Technical Assistance Center website contains free resources, training, and technical assistance (TA) for schools and their community partners. This includes many tools and resources on emergency planning and responding to infectious disease outbreaks.

In accordance with the State Emergency Operations Plan, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for coordinating with local, parish, tribal governments, state and federal entities, support agencies, and non-governmental organizations to address the needs of mass non-medical care, emergency assistance, housing, and human services of disaster victims. Schools are responsible for the safety and care of students during emergency situations such as natural disasters or other potential hazards. The LDOE will contact the designated emergency preparedness and recovery representative to remind them to complete and maintain the emergency preparedness and recovery panel throughout the emergency.