Hurricane Prep

Southeast Louisiana, including Jefferson Parish and the New Orleans Metropolitan area, is at risk for all hurricanes due to our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain, our low lying topography, and the continuing erosion of our wetlands.

You are especially at risk if:
  • You live outside of levee protection
  • You live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle
  • You live in a low-lying area or on the coast
While every hurricane could potentially cause problems in our area, we are especially at risk if a hurricane is a category 3 or higher on the Saffir Simpson Scale.

Saffir Simpson Scale
Category Wind Speed (miles per hour)
1 74-95
2 96-110
3 111-130
4 131-155
5 >155

Emergency Operations Center
In times of emergency, the Parish of Jefferson has the authority and responsibility to oversee the safety of the parish and its citizens. The Sheriff and other first responder agencies participate in this effort.

To accomplish this task, the parish has established an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to oversee the parish's response to potential disasters, such as hurricanes. Visit the Jefferson Parish website for detailed information on what to do when a hurricane threatens this area. This site includes information on:
  • Emergency bus transportation
  • Evacuation considerations
  • Evacuation routes
  • Hurricane evacuation guidelines
  • Preparing your pets
  • Public shelter information
  • Radio frequencies
  • Severe weather terms
  • Shelter in place information
  • State police phased evacuations
One of the more peculiar and important aspects of our emergency response is the phased evacuation of the area and the use of "contraflow" (i.e., turning all outgoing lanes of the interstates outbound). Guidelines are established by the Louisiana State Police. The parish, the Sheriff, and other local municipal police departments assist in this evacuation.