When it comes to emergency preparedness and response, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is the go-to source. With regional offices located in Baton Rouge, Harahan, Bayou Lafourche, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe and Shreveport, LDEQ has ten people specially trained as first responders dedicated to responding to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to this group is the support of other people in the Department who are also capable of performing emergency response tasks. The initiative that formed these teams has resulted in an improvement in the overall capacity of the LDEQ to protect the citizens of this state and its environment.
For complete information on emergency preparedness and response, visit emergency.la.gov. It is important to note that all emergencies and life-threatening situations should be directed to 911. The Emergency Response Section, under the Office of Environmental Compliance, is tasked with complying with this obligation. LDEQ first responders maintain a close working relationship with the Emergency Services Unit (ESU) of the Louisiana State Police to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials. Information from the Emergency Response Section includes Single-Point of Contact Procedures, Emergency Response Regulations (Title 33, Part I, Subpart 4, Chapter 6), Pediatric Office Preparedness Checklist from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on Hurricane Preparedness for Children's Offices, Response to Hurricanes & from the AAP Recovery Information for Children's Offices, The AAP prepares for Hurricanes during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC safety information for health professionals, CDC talks to children about disasters, AAP guidelines checklist for child care in the emergency department. The Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (parochial OHSEP), the American Red Cross and some United Way offices have copies of the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guides, available for distribution.
Follow the governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) on Twitter or connect on Facebook for emergency updates.
