NEWS RELEASE

JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA

June 6, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON PARISH PREPARES FOR 2024 HURRICANE SEASON

All citizens are encouraged to stay aware and be prepared to protect family, friends and property

JEFFERSON, LA – June 1, 2024 officially marked the beginning of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year. Jefferson Parish officials are urging all residents to stay aware and prepare now to protect their family, friends and property in the event of a major storm or hurricane this year.

During National Hurricane Preparedness Week, Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng joined other parish officials and partner agencies at the Emergency Operations Center in Gretna for a press conference to inform citizens about the measures taken to prepare for hurricane season. This press conference is available for viewing on JPTV, JeffParish.TV or Jefferson Parish’s YouTube Channel.

The National Weather Service (NWS) recognizes Jefferson Parish as a StormReady Community, stating that the Parish continues to do everything possible to improve emergency first responder and citizen preparedness in the event of a natural disaster. On Monday, June 3, 2024, the Jefferson Parish Department of Emergency Management, along with other Jefferson Parish departments and partner agencies, conducted its annual Public-Assisted Evacuation Exercise to test each agency’s plans to evacuate the citizens of Jefferson Parish ahead of a disaster.

Individuals who are bedridden, have multiple medical devices such as suction machines, ventilators, feeding tubes or oxygen concentrator, or can’t get to a bus stop due to mobility limitations, can enroll in the Jefferson Parish Medical Needs Registry. The Medical Needs Registry was created in order to better prepare to assist medically vulnerable residents in Jefferson Parish. Please note, this is not a guarantee of service, the best way to evacuate is with friends and family members. Those interested can enroll online or call 504-323-1818 and leave a message.

The Jefferson Parish Emergency Management Department has a plan for businesses to re-enter Jefferson Parish after a mandatory evacuation using a tiered re-entry plan. Tiered re-entry means that businesses come back at different times during the recovery phase. Business owners are encouraged to review their re-entry plan to ensure that their business staff have the placards necessary to return as quickly as possible to Jefferson Parish. Please note, all placards, and/or renewal stickers issued prior to 2024/2025 are no longer valid and will have to be replaced with new placards. For all new businesses, please visit JumpStart Jefferson Re-Entry Placards Program to register; there is no cost. For questions or concerns regarding re-entry placards, please contact the Jefferson Parish Emergency Management Department at 504-349-5360.

The Jefferson Parish Emergency Management Department serves as the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness with jurisdiction over the entire parish, including the municipalities of Grand Isle, Gretna, Harahan, Kenner, Lafitte and Westwego. Jefferson Parish has established a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center, provides multiple severe weather warnings and forecasts to alert the public, has a system in place to monitor weather conditions locally, promotes the importance of public readiness through community seminars, and develops a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. 

Visit Jefferson Parish's Hurricane Dashboard for more information and resources on how to prepare now, stay safe during, and recover after a storm. For real-time information on state-wide traffic, travel times and evacuation routes, visit www.511la.org. For more information about Jefferson Parish, visit www.JeffParish.net. Residents can also receive regular updates by following the Parish on social media (@JeffParishGov) or by texting JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777. 

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Jefferson Parish Public Information Office 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002 Jefferson, LA 70123

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Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO