NEWS RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA
May 17, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JEFFERSON PARISH RESPONDS TO THURSDAY’S SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, PREPARES FOR ADDITIONAL THREATS LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY
JEFFERSON, LA – Jefferson Parish continues to monitor the possibility of inclement weather Friday (May 17, 2024) evening through Saturday morning (May 18, 2024); strong damaging winds, flash flooding, possible tornadoes and hail remain the biggest threats.
In preparation, residents are asked to secure loose objects outside as these often become dangerous flying debris in high winds. Residents are also reminded to stay indoors and away from windows during severe weather events. In the event of a tornado, shelter in an interior room on the ground floor. During heavy rain, drivers should use caution around areas prone to significant street flooding, like streets under bridges and overpasses. Parish Ordinance Section 36-188 prohibits motorists from traveling on flooded streets, which may increase the possibility of structural flooding due to wake action caused by moving vehicles. To help reduce the risk of street flooding, residents are asked to clear debris from streets and drains around their property; such debris impedes water flow into the drainage system. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to proceed with caution as a number of traffic signals are offline following yesterday’s storms. Entergy Louisiana is working diligently to restore power outages, and many Jefferson Parish departments are out clearing roadways. Residents are asked to remain vigilant, stay weather aware, have multiple ways to receive weather alerts (TV, radio, etc.) and make sure to charge mobile devices and keep them nearby. To receive weather and emergency alerts from Jefferson Parish, text JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777. Hour-by-hour forecasts for specific locations can be accessed at www.weather.gov/neworleans by using the point and click map in the middle of the page. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center at (504) 349-5360 or the Jefferson Parish Medical Needs Registry at (504) 323-1818. Curbside Garbage Collection & Recycling Drop-Off Events: Due to the anticipated inclement weather, the recycling drop-off events scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the Joseph S. Yenni Building (1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Jefferson, LA 70123) and the Lapalco drop-off site (6440 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero, LA 70072) will be canceled. Collection will resume next Saturday, May 25, 2024. Because of Thursday evening’s storms, River Birch is running its normal Friday curbside garbage collection route, however, all trucks are being directed to the landfill through St. Charles Parish by way of the Luling Bridge. This will cause longer collection times in those areas which normally receive Friday pick-up. Any light tree debris generated as a result of this week’s storms will be collected on the next bulk waste day and must be properly placed curbside for pick-up. Additionally, residents are reminded to remove their trash cans from the curb as soon as possible after collection. Tipper carts can be blown over in streets and sidewalks when winds reach 35 miles per hour. Any light tree debris generated from the storm will be collected on the next bulk waste day and must be properly placed curbside for pick-up. For more information about curbside garbage collection or recycling drop-off events, contact the Department of Environmental Affairs at (504) 731-4612. Sheltering: The National Weather Service advises that it is not safe to be in a mobile home during severe weather and all Jefferson Parish residents in trailers should seek an alternative shelter in a sturdy building with family or friends if possible. The Terrytown Playground (641 Heritage Ave., Terrytown, LA 70056) will open today at 9 p.m. for residents in need of sturdy shelter. It will remain open until the National Weather Service gives the all-clear that the storm has passed and it is safe to leave. Please be advised that residents should bring their own food/water as the playground will only provide sturdy shelter during the storm; there will be no any other amenities available at this location. Transit: Jefferson Parish Transit is monitoring the forecast and local radar. Bus and Paratransit services will continue to operate on a normal schedule until the last vehicle pulls in at 10:30 p.m. Should winds reach a sustained 35 mph or greater, Transit Services and Paratransit services will immediately stop providing service across the Crescent City Connection, bridges and overpasses until sustained winds are below 35 mph. For more up-to-the-hour Transit updates, visit www.jptransit.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.
###
|
Jefferson Parish Public Information Office 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002 Jefferson, LA 70123 |
JPALERT – SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS |
Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO |
