City Of New Orleans: City Of New Orleans Continues Hurricane Ida Relief Efforts

Press release from the City of New Orleans:

September 5, 2021

NEW ORLEANS — Today, the City of New Orleans updated residents on Hurricane Ida response and recovery efforts.

City agencies and public safety officials continue to assess and respond to damages sustained during the storm, including continuing to facilitate ongoing sheltering and evacuation operations for residents in need. Mayor LaToya Cantrell and other City officials continue to prioritize residential needs by moving resources to neighborhoods, as well as responding to infrastructure, health and community needs on an ongoing basis.

Recovery updates and community resources are as follows:

• The City of New Orleans continues to provide transportation assistance to State-run shelters for New Orleans residents who wish to temporarily leave the Hurricane Ida impact area.

• This operation has been successful so far, with 180 residents utilizing the service yesterday and 135 today. The current operation is set up with the staffing and resources to move 2,300 people per day. Due to the reduced demand for this service, the City is scaling down operations to meet current needs.

Here are the 8 RTA pickup points:

• Treme Recreation Center (900 N. Villere St.)
• Cut-Off Recreation Center (6600 Belgrade St.)
• Gernon Brown Recreation Center (1001 Harrison Ave.)
• Milne Recreation Center (5420 Franklin Ave.)
• Stallings St. Claude Recreation Center (4300 St. Claude.)
• John P. Lyons Recreation Center (624 Louisiana Ave.)
• Joe W. Brown Recreation Center (5601 Read Blvd.)
• Rosenwald Recreation Center (1120 S. Broad Ave.)

These 8 pickup points are also serving as the NORD Cooling Centers, where residents can access water, ice, device charging, cooling for people and pets, pet food, diapers and baby supplies, FEMA assistance, and meals served at various times throughout the day.

• Yesterday, the New Orleans Health Department continued post-Hurricane Ida wellness checks at multiple senior apartment complexes in New Orleans, evacuating 8 facilities that were deemed unfit for ongoing occupancy and bringing the number of post-storm fatalities in senior living sites to 5.

• New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, the New Orleans Fire Department, and the Regional Transit Authority assisted in the evacuation of Peace Lake Towers in New Orleans East, St. John Berchman in Gentilly, St. Martin Manor in the Warehouse District, Delille Inn in New Orleans East, Nazareth Inn 1 & 2 in New Orleans East (1 fatality), Flint Goodridge Apartments in Milan (2 fatalities), and Christopher Inn in the Marigny (1 fatality). That is in addition to the 2 facilities ordered closed on Friday, including Annunciation Inn in the Seventh Ward (1 fatality) and Renaissance Place in Algiers. The 5 deaths are under investigation by the Coroner’s Office.

• Currently SWBNO has 56 of 84 sewer pump stations operational. 43 of those are on the East Bank, 13 on the Westbank. These stations have either a portable pump, generator or Entergy Power.
  • 7 Stations with confirmed Entergy power are: Station A, Station D, SPS 19, Castle Manor SPS, Oak Island SPS, Shorewood, SPS and Park Timbers and more are expected throughout the day.
  • SWBNO Networks Department is utilizing a fleet of vac trucks to pump out stations as they fill up.
  • 8 flush trucks are in use to respond to back-ups.
• The East Bank Wastewater Treatment Plant now has Entergy power; we are bringing plant operations back up slowly. We will continue to keep the bypass valves to the river open until the plant is fully operational.
  • This is why we are urging the public to be extremely mindful when using water. This means not using large appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, taking shorter showers and focusing on general water conservation.

• Please call 52-WATER or visit swbno.org to report water and sewer emergencies, like sewer back-ups and water leaks.
• Power to our St. Joseph Street Customer Service Center is back up on Entergy power.
• The billing software is online, so customers are able to pay their bills via the web, but not the phone.
• We are not shutting off water service to customers for the time being.

• SWBNO Water Plant in Algiers is supplying neighboring parishes with water via filling stations in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health.
• SWBNO is on Entergy power at the Carrollton Water Plant, which means all substations (Hamilton, Sycamore, Claiborne) are being powered via Entergy.
• Water pressure and water quality are stable. Water is safe to drink. 

• With Entergy power restored to the Carrollton Water Plant, Turbines 4 and 6 will come offline for routine checks and maintenance to make sure we are prepared for the next rain event.
  • DPS 1, DPS 2, DPS 10, DPS 14, DPS 16 currently have Entergy power
  • Entergy is expected to power more drainage pump stations throughout the day.

• Place storm-related debris curbside in the following categories:

• Do not block roadways or place debris near trees, poles, or fire hydrants. The first debris removal pass is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

• Limited curbside solid waste collection resumed on Thursday, Sept. 2.
• The City's solid waste contractors will only be dumping the city-issued 95-gallon trash cart during these initial passes.
• Residents should continue to bag their rotting waste, place in the City-issued trash cart and leave their carts on the curb until they are emptied; it will take some time for sanitation contractors to complete the full, citywide collection cycle.
• Recycling collections have been suspended until further notice.

• Central City Library will be open Monday, Sept. 6, for computer/Wi-Fi access, phone charging stations, and air conditioning.

• Located at the Allie Mae Williams Multi-Service Center at 2020 Jackson Avenue, Suite 139, the site will be open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

• The Library does not have device chargers and asks residents to bring their own. Plugs will be available on a first come, first served basis for an hour per person.
• All other Library locations remain closed at this time.
• As additional libraries open, information on hours of operation can be found on org and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @nolalibrary.

• Today, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority announced the addition of more routes to the limited bus service the agency is operating to support the city’s recovery efforts following Hurricane Ida.

• Beginning Sunday, Sept. 5, limited service will run daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a modified Saturday schedule along the following routes:

  • 27-Louisiana
  • 39-Tulane
  • 47-Canal
  • 84-Galvez
  • 88-St. Claude
  • 90-Carrollton
  • 94-Broad
  • 91-Jackson/Esplanade
  • 102-General Meyer
  • 114-General DeGaulle-Sullen
  • 115-General DeGaulle-Tullis

• Fares continue to be waived.
• For more information, visit www.norta.com or follow RTA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NewOrleansRTA.

• Uber Code: IDARELIEF2021

• The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is providing blue tarps for Orleans Parish residents who sustained roof damage

• Visit Blue Roof Information (army.mil) for information on how to retrieve a blue tarp

• 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Skelly Park (2515 Vespasian Blvd.)
• 8 a.m-6 p.m., Lyons Center (624 Louisiana Ave.)
• 8 am.-6 p.m., Joe W. Brown Park (5475 Read Blvd.)
• 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Wesley Barrow Stadium (6500 Press Dr.)
• 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Mahalia Jackson Auditorium (1419 Basin St.)
• 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Dryades YMCA (2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.)

• The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is launching “Connect,” a way for families to locate loved ones who evacuated from Hurricane Idea to a state shelter.

• The number to call is 225-342-2727. Alternatively, families can fill out a form online to reach out to loved ones who may be in state congregate shelters. That form is found at http://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/form/dcfs-connect

• The number to reach Louisiana 211 from outside the state is: 800-755-5175.

This press release was produced by the City of New Orleans. The views expressed here are the author’s own.